Portugal Presidential Election 2026

Election Date: 18 January 2026 | Potential Runoff: 8 February 2026

Current Polling (Technical Tie)

19.3%
Seguro
19.9%
Ventura
17.9%
Gouveia e Melo
17.5%
Cotrim
16.7%
Marques Mendes

Candidates

António José Seguro

Centre-Left
19.3%
Affiliation: Independent (Former PS/Socialist Party Leader)
Background: Former leader of the Socialist Party (2011-2014), lawyer, respected constitutional scholar
Key Positions: Strong defender of constitutional values, pro-European, social democratic economics
Campaign Focus: "The only hope for defending constitutional values" - positioned against populist threats
Known Associations: Socialist Party establishment, constitutional law scholars, pro-EU organisations

André Ventura

Far-Right Populist
19.9%
Affiliation: Chega Party (Founder & Leader)
Background: Tax law professor, former TV football commentator, MP since 2019, founded Chega in 2019
Key Positions: Anti-establishment, nationalist, critical of immigration policy, tough on crime, Eurosceptic tendencies
Campaign Focus: Anti-corruption, system change, "cleaning up" politics
Known Associations: Chega party infrastructure, aligned with European far-right movements. Funding primarily from party and small donors.
Note: Has faced criticism for inflammatory rhetoric. Initially led polls but now declining.

Henrique Gouveia e Melo

Centre-Right / Technocrat
17.9%
Affiliation: Independent (with PSD/CDS-PP support)
Background: Vice-Admiral (retired), led Portugal's COVID-19 vaccination campaign to great success, military career spanning decades
Key Positions: Pro-institution, technocratic governance, competence-based leadership, NATO supportive
Campaign Focus: Institutional stability, proven crisis management, above-party politics
Known Associations: Major endorsement: 100+ prominent PSD and CDS-PP figures including Adão Silva, Alberto João Jardim, David Justino. Supported by centre-right establishment.

João Cotrim Figueiredo

Liberal
17.5%
Affiliation: Iniciativa Liberal (IL) - Founder & Former Leader
Background: Economist, lawyer, business executive, founded Iniciativa Liberal in 2017, MEP
Key Positions: Free market economics, lower taxes, deregulation, strongly pro-EU, social liberalism
Campaign Focus: Generational change, modernising Portugal, appealing to young and professional voters
Known Associations: Business community, liberal think tanks, pro-European networks. Strong support among higher socioeconomic groups and young voters.
Trending: Rising in polls, particularly strong with young voters and urban professionals.

Luís Marques Mendes

Centre-Right
16.7%
Affiliation: Independent (historically PSD-aligned)
Background: Former PSD leader (2005-2007), lawyer, longtime political commentator on SIC television
Key Positions: Pragmatic centrist, pro-European, institutional stability, experienced governance
Campaign Focus: Experience, stability, claims polls "will surprise everyone"
Known Associations: PSD establishment networks, media connections through years of political commentary, legal profession

António Filipe

Far-Left / Communist
<5%
Affiliation: PCP (Portuguese Communist Party)
Background: Long-serving PCP MP, constitutional law expert, party stalwart
Key Positions: Workers' rights, anti-NATO, Eurosceptic, state intervention in economy, constitutional defence
Campaign Focus: "New direction" (novo rumo), democratic awakening, defending April Revolution values
Known Associations: PCP party apparatus, CGTP trade union confederation, traditional communist support base

Jorge Pinto

Left-Green / Ecosocialist
<5%
Affiliation: LIVRE (Free) Party - Official candidate announced November 2025
Background: LIVRE party member, activist background, represents the ecosocialist and progressive wing of Portuguese politics
Key Positions: Strong workers' rights advocate, critical of government labour law reforms, pro-European with green/ecological focus, social justice
Campaign Focus: Criticises proposed labour legislation as "tremendous attacks" on workers. Argues president should "be on the side of the Portuguese people"
Known Associations: LIVRE party (founded 2014 by Rui Tavares), progressive/left environmental movements, labour advocacy groups
Party context: LIVRE is a left-wing, pro-European, green party. Has one MP (Rui Tavares) in the Assembly.

André Pestana

Nationalist / Eurosceptic
<3%
Affiliation: ADN (Alternativa Democrática Nacional) or Independent nationalist
Background: Political activist, nationalist movement figure
Key Positions: Strongly Eurosceptic, opposed to NATO funding contributions, sovereigntist, critical of EU integration
Campaign Focus: National sovereignty, reducing Portugal's international commitments, questioning NATO obligations
Known Associations: Sovereigntist movements, Eurosceptic networks. Limited mainstream political infrastructure.

Other Declared Candidates

11 candidates are confirmed for the election. Beyond those profiled above, other declared candidates include:

  • Minor/Independent candidates - Several independent and minor party candidates have submitted candidacies to the Constitutional Court for validation
  • Full official candidate list will be confirmed by the Constitutional Court after signature verification

Note: Portuguese presidential candidates must collect 7,500-15,000 citizen signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Data Sources & Limitations

  • Polling data from December 2025 - January 2026 campaign period
  • Detailed campaign finance information is limited in public sources
  • Portuguese electoral law requires disclosure but detailed breakdowns are not always readily available
  • Information compiled from Wikipedia, Portuguese news sources, and official party communications