This means that he is likely to work as well with the head of government of Montenegro as Rebelo de Sousa did with the then socialist head of government António Costa (2015-2024). The inauguration is scheduled for March 9th.
Seguro looks back on a long party career as a deputy, minister and general secretary of the Socialist Party. He proclaims a policy that seeks to balance economic responsibility with social justice. During the election campaign, he emphasized strengthening institutions, protecting democracy and balancing the market and the welfare state. “I want a Portugal in which the state functions, the economy creates prosperity and the welfare state is always present,” he said, describing his goals.
The head of state has relatively much power in the EU country. The president can veto laws, dissolve parliament and call new elections. The popular and popular Rebelo de Sousa even did the latter twice in his second term in office, namely with corruption allegations against the socialist Costa in November 2023 and against the conservative Montenegro in March last year.
It was the eleventh presidential election since the Carnation Revolution of 1974 and the first since then in which a runoff election was necessary. Despite the destruction caused by the severe storm “Kristin” a week and a half ago and several other Atlantic lows since then, the vote went smoothly. Only in three municipalities with a total of 37,000 eligible voters was the vote postponed by a week to February 15th due to storm-related destruction.
