Portugal held a second round of presidential elections amid severe storms that caused 14 deaths and disrupted voting in some regions.
Severe Weather Disrupts Elections
The second round was conducted in exceptionally difficult weather conditions. At the turn of January and February, strong storms hit Portugal, leading to local floods and power outages. Authorities confirmed 14 fatalities, with the number of injured reaching 700.
Election Results and Postponement
In some regions, destruction was severe enough that voting will be rescheduled. André Ventura, leader of the far-right Chega! party, demanded a postponement of the second round nationwide after securing second place (23.5%) three weeks prior. The first round winner was Socialist Party (PS) candidate António José Seguro with 31% support. This marks the first time since 1986 that Portuguese presidential elections were not decided in the first round.