Portugal, February 8th, 2026: A new President was elected! Understand the political system in Portugal.
- Tiago Rodrigues da Costa
- Feb 8
- 10 min read
From time to time, people in the democratic Republic of Portugal are called to exercise their important civic right: The right to vote. In the Portuguese Constitution, the right to vote is declared by Article 49th [Artigo 49º], which states in a very simplistic way that “all the citizens over eighteen years old have the right to vote, except for the exclusions set out by the general law. The exercise of the right to vote is personal and constitutes a civic duty.” [Têm direito de sufrágio todos os cidadãos maiores de dezoito anos, ressalvadas as incapacidades previstas na lei geral. O exercício do direito de sufrágio é pessoal e constitui um dever cívico.]
The Article 49th can be seen in “Part I – Fundamental Principles” [Parte I – Princípios Fundamentais], “Title II – Rights, Freedoms, and Assurances” [Título II – Direitos, Liberdades e Garantias], and “Chapter II – Political Participation” [Capítulo II – Participação Política].
Portugal is certainly one of the oldest countries on Earth—it was founded in 1143 after the Treaty of Zamora, which recognized Afonso Henriques as the first King of Portugal. Since then, until 1910, Portugal was governed by monarchical regimes. With the Implementation of the Republic on October 5th, 1910, the people of Portugal gained more freedoms, like the right to vote. However, that was certainly a big shift, and this opened space for the foundation of a dictatorship. The Estado Novo, led by António Oliveira Salazar, was in place from 1932 to 1974, and during this time, the right to vote was restricted. Women, for example, could only vote after completing their university studies, among other restrictions. The end of the dictatorship in 1974 changed this reality, and joining the European Union in 1986 finally opened Portugal to the outside world.
In today’s Portuguese society, several different players govern the country. They are chosen democratically so the people can select the leaders for the various branches of the Portuguese government. The highest position in the state is likely to be the President of the Republic [Presidente da República], who is elected every five years following the presidential election. Following that, there is the central government led by the prime minister, who oversees 16 ministries. This branch is elected every four years after legislative elections. Lastly, the local governments, made up of municipalities [camâras municipais] and parish councils [juntas de freguesia], are elected every four years in a separate election called “eleições autárquicas.” Of course, these are all national elections, but all European countries (including Portugal) participate in the European elections, which are meant to choose deputies for the European Parliament. The European elections occur every five years.
The President of the Republic
The President of the Republic is the Head of State and represents the Portuguese Republic, ensuring national independence, the unity of the State, and the proper functioning of democratic institutions. The President has the primary duty of defending and enforcing the Constitution. The President is elected by popular vote in a non-partisan election. It’s the only non-partisan election.
In relation to other branches of government, the President appoints the Prime Minister and, at the Prime Minister’s proposal, appoints the other members of the Government. The President may dismiss the Government only in exceptional situations that threaten the proper functioning of democratic institutions. The President may also address messages to the Assembly of the Republic [Assembleia da República], convene it in extraordinary sessions, and dissolve it in cases of political crisis, calling new elections.
One of the President’s key responsibilities is political oversight of legislative activity. The President is responsible for promulgating laws and decrees and may request constitutional review by the Constitutional Court or exercise a political veto. Vetoes of laws passed by the Assembly of the Republic may be overridden by a reinforced majority, while vetoes of Government decrees are final. The President may also request subsequent constitutional review of laws by the Constitutional Court and decide whether to call national referendums.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the President holds significant powers regarding national defense, including declaring war and peace, appointing senior military leaders, and declaring a state of siege or emergency, always in accordance with the Constitution.
In foreign affairs, the President represents the Portuguese State, appoints ambassadors, ratifies international treaties, and formally binds Portugal to international agreements. As guarantor of the unity of the State, the President also has authority over the autonomous regions (Madeira and Açores), including appointing Representatives of the Republic and dissolving their legislative assemblies.
In addition to formal powers, the President holds important symbolic and informal influence, using public interventions, speeches, and direct contact with citizens as tools of political leadership. The President’s role thus resembles that of a moderating power, particularly significant during periods of political or institutional crisis. The President is truly important in the promotion of national stability.
Since the start of the democratic republic in 1974, there have been seven Presidents of the Republic. Most of them served two terms. By the Constitutional law, Presidents of the Republic can only serve two terms.
The Central Government and the Prime Minister
In the Portuguese constitutional system, the Government is the sovereign body responsible for conducting the country’s overall policy and for leading the public administration. Its composition varies, and it is a complex institutional body whose powers may be exercised by different collective or individual entities within it, including the Prime Minister, possible Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers, Secretaries of State, and Sub-Secretaries of State. The responsibilities of the government include negotiating with other states or international organizations, proposing legislation to the Assembly of the Republic, analyzing public issues and determining appropriate solutions—usually through the adoption of laws—issuing technical regulations to ensure that laws are properly implemented, and deciding how public funds are allocated and spent.
The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of the Republic after consultation with the parties represented in the Assembly of the Republic and in light of election results, and may be dismissed solely by the President. By virtue of office, the Prime Minister is a member of the Council of State.
The Prime Minister has primary responsibility for directing the Government’s general policy, coordinating and guiding the work of all ministers. Although the Prime Minister is not formally the hierarchical superior of other members of the Government in legal-administrative terms, the office holds clear political authority since the appointment of ministers and secretaries of state depends on the Prime Minister’s proposal, and all members of the Government are politically accountable to the Prime Minister.
The Local Governments
Under the Portuguese Constitution, the democratic organization of the State includes local authorities, which are territorial public entities with representative bodies responsible for pursuing the specific interests of their local populations. On mainland Portugal, local authorities consist of parishes and municipalities.
Municipalities are the local governments tasked with representing and promoting the interests of the population living within their municipal boundaries through elected representative bodies. The municipality’s governing bodies are the Municipal Assembly, which serves as the deliberative body, and the Municipal Council (City Hall), which serves as the executive body.
Parishes are local authorities within municipal territory that are responsible for pursuing the specific interests of the population living in each parish area. Their representative bodies are the Parish Assembly, which functions as the deliberative body, and the Parish Executive Council, which serves as the executive body.
The powers and legal framework governing municipal bodies are set out mainly in Law No. 75/2013 [Regime Jurídico das Autarquias Locais] and, where still applicable, Law No. 169/99. Portugal currently has 308 municipalities: 278 on the mainland, 19 in the Açores Autonomous Region, and 11 in the Madeira Autonomous Region. There are currently 3,091 parishes: 2,882 on the mainland, 155 in Açores, and 54 in Madeira.
The European Union
The European Union is structured around three main institutions, each with distinct powers and responsibilities: The European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission.
The European Parliament is the EU’s primary democratic institution and is composed of members directly elected by EU citizens. Its role is to represent citizens’ interests and political priorities based on election results. Together with the Council of the EU, it examines, amends, and adopts EU legislation proposed by the European Commission, and it also approves the EU’s annual budget.
Members of the European Parliament are allocated by degressive proportionality according to population and are grouped by political affiliation rather than nationality. Parliamentary work is carried out mainly through committees, which prepare legislation, and plenary sessions, where final votes take place.
European citizens and residents may submit petitions to the Parliament on matters within EU competence.
The Council of the EU represents the governments of the Member States and is composed of national ministers according to the policy area being discussed. It meets in different configurations, such as Economic and Financial Affairs, Justice and Home Affairs, Environment, or Foreign Affairs.
Its main responsibilities include adopting EU legislation (often jointly with the Parliament), coordinating Member States’ economic policies, concluding international agreements, adopting the EU budget with the Parliament, defining the EU’s foreign and security policy, and coordinating judicial and police cooperation.
The Council’s work is prepared by the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) and numerous specialized working groups. The presidency of the Council rotates among Member States every six months.
The Council usually decides by qualified majority voting, although unanimity is required in certain areas.
The European Commission is the EU’s executive body and is traditionally regarded as the “guardian of the Treaties,” ensuring that EU law is properly applied. Decisions are taken collectively by the College of Commissioners, usually by simple majority. These are appointed for five-year terms, acting independently from national governments, though politically accountable to the European Parliament.
The Commission has a central role in the legislative process through its right of initiative, as it is responsible for proposing EU legislation. Its key functions include promoting the general interest of the Union, proposing new policies, mediating between Member States, implementing EU law and policies, and managing EU programs.
The Commission also plays an important role in external relations, including recommending the opening of negotiations for international agreements, which are authorized by the Council. Responsibilities within the Commission are allocated and coordinated by its President.
The (outgoing) President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was elected President of the Portuguese Republic on January 24, 2016, winning 52% of the popular vote. He campaigned under the slogan “Together for Portugal” and, upon taking office, emphasized that the President should be the President of all citizens, acting strictly within the limits and duties established by the Constitution. He was reelected on January 24, 2021, with 60.7% of the vote, in an election held under a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His victory speech focused on honoring pandemic victims and calling for national unity, under the slogan “Every Portuguese Counts.”
Born in Lisbon in 1948, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is a distinguished academic and public figure. He earned a law degree with top honors from the University of Lisbon and completed a PhD in political and legal sciences in 1984. He became a full professor of law in 1990 and had a 46-year academic career, holding several leadership positions within the Faculty of Law and teaching at multiple universities in Portugal and abroad. He is widely recognized as one of Portugal’s leading constitutional scholars.
Alongside his academic career, Marcelo built a prominent media presence. He was a founder of major newspapers such as Expresso and Semanário and became one of Portugal’s most recognizable political commentators through decades of work in radio and television. His media role earned him the nickname “the Professor” and made him a familiar figure to the Portuguese public long before his presidency.
Marcelo was an early member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and played an active role in Portugal’s democratic transition. He served as a member of the Constituent Assembly, participated in drafting the democratic Constitution, held ministerial positions, led the PSD between 1996 and 1999, and served in various national and local government roles. His career also reflects deep involvement in constitutional reform.
The (new) President António José Seguro
António José Seguro was born in 1962 in Penamacor and has followed a different political path rooted in the Socialist Party (PS). He holds a degree in International Relations and pursued graduate studies in political science.
Seguro began his political career in youth organizations, becoming the leader of the Socialist Youth and later president of the national and European youth councils.
Seguro entered government in the mid-1990s under Prime Minister António Guterres, serving as Secretary of State for Youth and later as Deputy Minister. He was also a Member of the European Parliament, where he co-authored a key report on the Treaty of Nice—an exceptional role for a Portuguese politician. After returning to national politics, he became Secretary-General of the PS and leader of its parliamentary group.
As party leader, Seguro made controversial decisions, including abstaining from voting against the 2012 state budget proposed by a center-right government, arguing that it was a “constructive but forceful abstention.” Although the PS achieved strong results in the 2013 local elections and won the 2014 European elections, internal criticism led to leadership primaries, which Seguro lost to António Costa. He then stepped away from frontline politics, focusing on academia and political commentary.
From 2023 onward, Seguro gradually returned to the political arena and confirmed his candidacy for the presidency in June 2025. Supported by the Socialist Party, he presents himself as a “modern and moderate” left-wing candidate who promises institutional independence and a less interventionist presidency than Marcelo’s.
This year's election started with the first round, which took place on January 18th. On the ballot that day, over 10 candidates were running for the presidency. To be elected in the first round, the President needed to secure more than 50% of the popular vote. This did not occur. The candidate with more votes was António José Seguro with 31,12% of the popular vote, and André Ventura with 23,52%. For that reason, the top two candidates moved to the second round, which took place on February 8th, 2026.
In the second round, 49.91% of eligible voters did not participate. Among those who did vote, most in the national territory chose António José Seguro, while the majority of overseas voters preferred André Ventura. António José Seguro secured the presidency with 66.82% of the total vote, whereas André Ventura received 33.18%. António José Seguro was subsequently elected as the new President of the Republic of Portugal and will officially begin his term on March 9th, 2026.
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