Portugal's Seguro Wins Presidential Landslide, Halting Far-Right Surge

Antonio Jose Seguro of Portugal's centre-left Socialist Party has won the country's presidential run-off election in a decisive landslide, defeating far-right populist Andre Ventura by a margin of more than two to one in a vote that European leaders framed as a victory for democratic values Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary.

With 99 percent of ballots counted, the 63-year-old Seguro secured 66.7 percent of the vote against Ventura's 33.3 percent Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary. The result was broadly in line with exit polls, which had placed Seguro in the 67 to 73 percent range Portugal elects Socialist Party’s Seguro as president in landslidealjazeera.com·SecondaryAntonio Jose Seguro of the centre-left Socialist Party has secured a landslide victory and a five-year term as Portugal’s president in a run-off vote, beating his far-right, anti-establishment rival, Andre Ventura, according to partial results. With 95 percent of votes counted, 63-year-old Seguro has garnered 66 percent. Ventura trailed at 34 percent, still likely to secure a much stronger result than the 22.8 percent his anti-immigration Chega party achieved in last year’s general election..

A Clear Rejection of the Far Right

Seguro will succeed conservative President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa for a five-year term in a largely ceremonial role that nonetheless carries significant powers, including the ability to dissolve parliament and call early elections Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary.

The scale of the victory represents a clear rejection of Ventura and his Chega (Enough) party's brand of anti-establishment, anti-immigration politics — though Ventura's 33 percent still marks a significant improvement on the 22.8 percent Chega achieved in last year's general election Portugal elects Socialist Party’s Seguro as president in landslidealjazeera.com·SecondaryAntonio Jose Seguro of the centre-left Socialist Party has secured a landslide victory and a five-year term as Portugal’s president in a run-off vote, beating his far-right, anti-establishment rival, Andre Ventura, according to partial results. With 95 percent of votes counted, 63-year-old Seguro has garnered 66 percent. Ventura trailed at 34 percent, still likely to secure a much stronger result than the 22.8 percent his anti-immigration Chega party achieved in last year’s general election..

Ventura, a 43-year-old former television sports commentator, conceded but struck a defiant tone. "I tried to show there's a different way... that we needed a different kind of president," he told reporters Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary. He vowed to continue working to bring about political "transformation" in Portugal Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary.

Seguro, who returned from a teaching hiatus specifically to contest the race, had positioned himself as the candidate of a "modern and moderate" left who could mediate political crises and defend democratic values Portugal elects Socialist Party’s Seguro as president in landslidealjazeera.com·SecondaryAntonio Jose Seguro of the centre-left Socialist Party has secured a landslide victory and a five-year term as Portugal’s president in a run-off vote, beating his far-right, anti-establishment rival, Andre Ventura, according to partial results. With 95 percent of votes counted, 63-year-old Seguro has garnered 66 percent. Ventura trailed at 34 percent, still likely to secure a much stronger result than the 22.8 percent his anti-immigration Chega party achieved in last year’s general election.. He received backing from prominent conservatives after the first round amid cross-party concerns over Ventura's populist tendencies Portugal elects Socialist Party’s Seguro as president in landslidealjazeera.com·SecondaryAntonio Jose Seguro of the centre-left Socialist Party has secured a landslide victory and a five-year term as Portugal’s president in a run-off vote, beating his far-right, anti-establishment rival, Andre Ventura, according to partial results. With 95 percent of votes counted, 63-year-old Seguro has garnered 66 percent. Ventura trailed at 34 percent, still likely to secure a much stronger result than the 22.8 percent his anti-immigration Chega party achieved in last year’s general election..

Storms Test Democratic Resilience

The election unfolded against the backdrop of fierce storms that killed at least seven people and forced around 20 of the worst-hit constituencies to postpone voting by a week Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary. Ventura had called for the entire election to be postponed, but authorities rejected the demand Portugal elects Socialist Party’s Seguro as president in landslidealjazeera.com·SecondaryAntonio Jose Seguro of the centre-left Socialist Party has secured a landslide victory and a five-year term as Portugal’s president in a run-off vote, beating his far-right, anti-establishment rival, Andre Ventura, according to partial results. With 95 percent of votes counted, 63-year-old Seguro has garnered 66 percent. Ventura trailed at 34 percent, still likely to secure a much stronger result than the 22.8 percent his anti-immigration Chega party achieved in last year’s general election..

Seguro accused Ventura of "doing everything to keep the Portuguese from turning out to vote" . Despite the disruption, turnout remained at roughly the same level as the first round three weeks earlier, when Seguro topped the field with 31 percent but fell short of an outright majority Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Seguro, writing that "Portugal's voice for our shared European values remains strong" Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary. She praised Portuguese citizens for demonstrating "remarkable democratic resilience" in the face of the storm devastation Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary.

French President Emmanuel Macron also offered congratulations, saying he would work with Seguro to strengthen ties between Portugal and France Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary.

Political Stability Remains Elusive

Seguro's victory comes as Portugal navigates its worst period of political instability in decades. The May 2025 general election — the country's third in three years — was triggered by a succession of administrations that collapsed amid corruption and conflict-of-interest scandals, rising populism and unstable minority governments Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary.

Prime Minister Luis Montenegro's centre-right Democratic Alliance coalition holds just 91 seats in the 230-seat parliament, well short of a majority Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary. Montenegro declined to endorse either candidate in the run-off, reflecting the delicate parliamentary arithmetic that requires his government to rely on support from either the Socialists or the far right to pass legislation Portugal elects Socialist Party’s Seguro as president in landslidealjazeera.com·SecondaryAntonio Jose Seguro of the centre-left Socialist Party has secured a landslide victory and a five-year term as Portugal’s president in a run-off vote, beating his far-right, anti-establishment rival, Andre Ventura, according to partial results. With 95 percent of votes counted, 63-year-old Seguro has garnered 66 percent. Ventura trailed at 34 percent, still likely to secure a much stronger result than the 22.8 percent his anti-immigration Chega party achieved in last year’s general election..

Seguro has signalled willingness to cooperate with the centre-right government Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary, a stance that could provide a degree of stability but will also test his ability to balance the expectations of his Socialist base against the pragmatism the role demands.

Chega's Rise in European Context

While Ventura lost decisively, his candidacy marks a milestone for Portugal's far right. He is the first extreme-right candidate to reach a presidential run-off in the country Portugal elects Socialist Party’s Seguro as president in landslidealjazeera.com·SecondaryAntonio Jose Seguro of the centre-left Socialist Party has secured a landslide victory and a five-year term as Portugal’s president in a run-off vote, beating his far-right, anti-establishment rival, Andre Ventura, according to partial results. With 95 percent of votes counted, 63-year-old Seguro has garnered 66 percent. Ventura trailed at 34 percent, still likely to secure a much stronger result than the 22.8 percent his anti-immigration Chega party achieved in last year’s general election., and Chega has grown from its founding seven years ago to become the second-largest party in parliament Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary.

During the campaign, Ventura put up billboards across the country saying "This isn't Bangladesh" and "Immigrants shouldn't be allowed to live on welfare," while promising strong state support for low-income Portuguese nationals Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary. He also pushed for tougher action on corruption and crime, including life imprisonment and chemical castration for sex offenders Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary.

The pattern mirrors far-right gains across much of Europe, though Portugal's decisive rejection of Ventura in the presidential run-off suggests the country's centre-left political tradition retains significant resilience Portugal Elects a President, With Leftist Beating a Surging Far Rightnytimes.com·Secondary.