António José Seguro’s decisive victory over far-right challenger André Ventura marks an historic moment in Portuguese politics, but analysts caution that the result does not amount to a rejection of populism.
Speaking to AnewZ, political analyst Bernardo Theotónio-Pereira said the scale of António José Seguro’s victory was unprecedented in modern Portuguese politics
“First of all, José António Seguro became the candidate with the highest number of votes ever and that was something unique,” he said, offering congratulations to the president-elect.
However, he cautioned that the result should not be read as a rejection of far-right politics. He pointed to the steady rise of André Ventura’s support over recent years, noting that the Chega leader has significantly expanded his electoral base.
Ventura, he said, moved from “1.9 per cent in 2019 and now 34 per cent,” highlighting the scale of that growth despite running on a largely unchanged political platform.
Referring to this trend, Theotónio-Pereira said: “The same assumptions, we are trying to get unfortunately different results,” adding that Ventura’s growing share of the vote is “something that we have to understand.”
He also highlighted an unusually high number of blank and invalid ballots which he put at almost 300,000, describing this as rare in Portugal and a signal of voter dissatisfaction. While final nationwide figures are still being confirmed, he argued that the scale of these ballots points to broader unease within the electorate.
Placing the election in a wider context, Bernardo Theotónio-Pereira said Portugal’s result should be seen alongside political shifts elsewhere in Europe, including recent developments in Spain. Against that backdrop, he argued, the outcome in Portugal stands out.
“We have to understand that even with these changes in Spain yesterday and also with this new Europe, this election is special,” he said.
He added that the Socialist Party’s position now carries significance beyond Portugal itself.
“The Socialist Party is also special, not only in Portugal, but also if you are analysing the new Europe now,” he said, describing the moment as unusual within the broader European political landscape.
According to Theotónio-Pereira, this helps explain the strong international reaction to António José Seguro’s victory.
“I believe you have seen all the messages that we have received from the European leaders and also from international leaders,” he said, adding that the response reflects a desire for continuity at a time of political uncertainty.
“That keeps the stability that some people want,” he said.
The election was held amid severe winter storms that caused localised delays in voting. Theotónio-Pereira said several hundred thousand voters had yet to cast ballots, with additional voting expected in the coming days.
Despite those disruptions, he said the result remained legitimate and encouraging.
“The result was very, very positive for our democracy,” he said, pointing to the overall scale of participation and the clarity of the outcome.
Portugal’s president has limited executive powers but retains key constitutional authority, including vetoing legislation and dissolving parliament. Asked how Seguro might use those powers, Theotónio-Pereira said the new president is likely to avoid confrontation.
“Seguro is completely avoiding any instability,” he said. “He’s going to keep things as they are, and he’s going to assure us the same government.”
He stressed that this was his personal assessment, adding that while Portugal may need political change, he does not expect that shift to come from the presidency.
“In my opinion, my country needs change but that change will not be with Seguro,” he said.
The analyst said Seguro’s victory was also shaped by support beyond the traditional left, particularly from centre-right figures opposed to Ventura’s rise.
He argued that the Socialist Party has become more centrist over time and said backing from figures linked to PSD and CDS played an important role in consolidating support behind Seguro.
“The fact that Seguro is coming from the Socialist Party and the Socialist Party is more centre-right, of course assured him a good result,” he said, referring to support from former ministers and voters on the centre-right.
While he questioned whether that alliance was politically positive in the long term, he acknowledged its importance to the outcome.
“A lot of people from the centre-right giving all this assistance, it was very important for Seguro,” he said.
Despite losing the presidency, Theotónio-Pereira said Chega’s growth shows Ventura remains a significant force in Portuguese politics.
He suggested voters were distinguishing between the largely ceremonial role of head of state and positions with direct executive power.
“People don’t want Ventura as the leader of our country for this position yet,” he said. “They want him on an executive basis and not for this position.”
He predicted Chega would continue to grow and said Ventura would seek to challenge the government’s record ahead of future elections.
“I believe we will see a stronger André Ventura and a higher result for Chega in the next elections,” he said.
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