Summary
Voters in Portugal are participating in a presidential election where a far-right candidate, Andre Ventura, may advance to a second round of voting. Eleven candidates are running, and nearly 11 million people are eligible to vote. The President in Portugal is mainly a symbolic leader without much power but can influence politics through certain actions.
Key Facts
- Portugal is holding a presidential election with 11 candidates.
- Polls opened at 8 a.m. local time on Sunday and will close with exit polls announced 12 hours later.
- Andre Ventura of the far-right Chega party could advance to a run-off, marking a significant potential shift in Portuguese politics.
- About 11 million people can vote in this election.
- The president of Portugal is largely a figurehead with some influential powers, like vetoing laws or dissolving parliament.
- The current president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, cannot run again after serving two terms.
- Chega recently became the second-largest party in Portugal's parliament, reflecting increased support.
- Leading candidates besides Ventura come from Portugal's major political parties, including the Social Democratic Party and the Socialist Party.
