2021 Portuguese presidential election
Presidential elections will be held in Portugal in January 2021. The incumbent President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, is constitutionally allowed to run for a second term.
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This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Portugal |
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Constitution |
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Legislature
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Background
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was elected in January 2016 with 52% of the votes on the first round. He took the oath of office on 9 March 2016 and since then, has been in cohabitation with Socialist Prime Minister António Costa.
In Portugal, the president is the head of state and has mostly ceremonial powers. However, the president does have some political influence and can dissolve the Parliament of Portugal if a crisis occurs. The president also has an official residence in the Belém Palace in Lisbon.
Electoral system
Under Portuguese law, a candidate must receive a majority of votes (50% plus one vote) to be elected. If no candidate achieved a majority in the first round, a runoff election (i.e., second round, held between the two candidates who received the most votes in the first round) has to be held.
In order to stand for election, each candidate must gather 7,500 signatures of support one month before the election, and submit them to the Constitutional Court of Portugal. The Constitutional Court then certifies the candidacies which meet the requirements to appear on the ballot. The highest number of candidacies ever accepted was ten in 2016.
Candidates
Declared
- André Ventura, CHEGA (CH) leader;[1]
- Gonçalo da Câmara Pereira, People's Monarchist Party (PPM) leader; [2]
- The Portuguese Communist Party has confirmed they will submit their own candidate.[3]
- Tiago Mayan Gonçalves, Liberal Initiative (IL) candidate; [4]
- Bruno Fialho, Democratic Republican Party (PDR) leader; [5]
Potential
- Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Republic since 2016; eligible for a second term;[6]
- Ana Gomes, former Socialist Party MEP (2004–2019);[7]
- Marisa Matias, Left Bloc MEP (since 2009); presidential candidate in 2016, polled third place with 10% of the vote[8]
- António Sampaio da Nóvoa, former Rector of the University of Lisbon (2006–2013); presidential candidate in 2016, polled second place with almost 23% of the vote.[9]
Refused
- Adolfo Mesquita Nunes, former Secretary of State for Tourism (2013–2015) and People's Party MP (2011–2013);[10]
- Miguel Albuquerque, President of the Regional Government of Madeira since 2015; former Mayor of Funchal (1994–2013);[11]
Opinion polling
References
- “Depois das legislativas, Ventura avança para as Presidenciais”, Jornal i (August 24, 2019).
- https://www.cmjornal.pt/politica/detalhe/goncalo-da-camara-pereira-candidato
- Francisco, Susete (28 June 2020). "PCP avança com candidatura própria às presidenciais" [PCP to submit their own candidate to the presidential election] (in Portuguese). Diário de Notícias. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- Borges, Liliana (25 July 2020). "Iniciativa Liberal já tem candidato a Belém: chama-se Tiago Mayan Gonçalves e diz-se "descomprometido"" [Liberal Initiative already has a candidate for Belém: his name is Tiago Mayan Gonçalves and he says he is "uncompromised"] (in Portuguese). Público. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- Antunes, Rodrigues (27 July 2020). "Líder do PDR anuncia candidatura "ao centro" para Belém" [PDR leader announces candidacy "to the center" for Belém] (in Portuguese). Observador. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- Marcelo: “Até setembro de 2020 direi se sou recandidato” , Expresso (January 22, 2017).
- "Ana Gomes pondera candidatura à Presidência da República". www.publico.pt (in Portuguese). Público. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
- Sena Goulão, José (Lusa) (23 May 2020). "Bloco recusa Ana Gomes (e não desiste de Marisa Matias)". ZAP Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- “Se há uma coisa que aprendi é que nunca se deve dizer nunca a nada”, Público (January 24, 2018).
- "Adolfo Mesquita Nunes afasta candidatura às Presidenciais". www.observador.pt (in Portuguese). Observador. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
- "Albuquerque deixa cair "hipótese" de candidatura a Belém". www.publico.pt (in Portuguese). Público. 9 Jul 2020. Retrieved 10 Jul 2020.