Socialist Antonio José Seguro is leading in the first round of Sunday’s presidential election in Portugal, according to two exit polls conducted for local television stations.
Far-right leader André Ventura, the favorite in pre-election polls, is in second place, but is not guaranteed a second round because of the narrow margin that separates him from the third-placed Liberal candidate.
Seguro received between 30 and 35 percent of the vote, and Ventura between 19.9 and 24.1 percent, two exit polls showed.
In third place is Joao Cotrim de Figueiredo with between 16.3 and 21 percent, out of a total of 11 candidates.
Portuguese people went to the polls on Sunday to elect a successor to conservative President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
The latest polls show that Ventura is unlikely to win if he makes it to the second round because 60 percent of respondents have no intention of voting for him.
However, for Ventura, entering the second round is an additional proof of the sudden strengthening of his party, which, just six years after its foundation, became the second strongest option in Portugal after last year’s parliamentary elections.
The second round of elections should take place on February 8.
The role of the president is largely ceremonial in Portugal, but he also has some important powers, including dissolving parliament in some circumstances, calling early elections and vetoing laws.
(Vijesti.ba)
