Center left wins Portugal presidential election first round, setting up showdown with far right – POLITICO

António José Seguro, a former head of Portugal’s Socialist Party, won a surprise victory in the first round of the country’s presidential election on Sunday, according to the national elections commission.

With just over 31 percent of the votes cast, Seguro’s triumph was an unforeseen upset over André Ventura, leader of the far-right Chega party. Pre-election surveys had consistently shown him enjoying the strongest support among eligible voters.

As none of the candidates secured an absolute majority, Seguro and Ventura will face each other in a Feb. 8 runoff election.