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Portugal picks center-right president for center-left govt Portugal picks center-right president for center-left govt
(35 minutes later)
LISBON, Portugal — A center-right candidate has recorded an emphatic victory in Portugal’s presidential election, collecting more than half of the vote against nine rivals as voters picked a counterweight to Portugal’s center-left Socialist government. LISBON, Portugal — A center-right candidate recorded an emphatic victory in Portugal’s presidential election on Sunday, collecting more than half of the votes against nine rivals as the Portuguese chose a counterweight to th country’s center-left Socialist government.
With 98 percent of the votes counted, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a veteran politician and law professor, won 52.4 percent Sunday to capture the mostly ceremonial post. His nearest rival had less than half of that and his opponents conceded quickly. With 98 percent of the votes counted, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a veteran politician and law professor, had 52.4 percent to capture the mostly ceremonial post. His nearest rival had less than half of that total, and his opponents conceded quickly.
Rebelo de Sousa will move into the head of state’s riverside pink palace in Lisbon in March, replacing Anibal Cavaco Silva, who has served the maximum of two five-year terms.Rebelo de Sousa will move into the head of state’s riverside pink palace in Lisbon in March, replacing Anibal Cavaco Silva, who has served the maximum of two five-year terms.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below. The president has no executive power, and is largely a figurehead, but can be an influential voice and in a crisis has the power to dissolve Parliament.
Portugal’s presidential election could go to a runoff, exit polls indicated, with a veteran center-right politician getting double the votes of his nearest rival Sunday but perhaps narrowly failing to capture the mostly ceremonial post. A Socialist minority government runs Portugal with the backing of the Communist Party and the radical Left Bloc. The government is trying to pull off a balancing act by ending austerity measures while sticking to the financial prudence adopted after Portugal’s 78 billion-euro ($84 billion) bailout in 2011 amid a eurozone financial crisis.
A poll by public broadcaster Radiotelevisao Portuguesa indicated that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa won from 49 to 54 percent of the vote, easily defeating nine rivals but possibly falling short of capturing the more than 50 percent needed to be elected immediately. The government’s critics say that is a risky policy in debt-heavy Portugal whose economy is struggling to gain momentum.
Polls on television channels TVIndependente and S.I.C. gave Rebelo de Sousa 51-to-56 percent and 50-to-55 percent of the vote respectively. Rebelo de Sousa says he won’t rock the boat. “The president has to be a factor of stability, not instability,” he said during the campaign.
A runoff between the two front-runners would be held Feb. 14. If needed, Rebelo de Sousa would likely take on Antonio Sampaio da Novoa, a former university dean close to the center-left the government who was expected to get from 22 to 25 percent of the vote, according to the public broadcaster. Rebelo de Sousa, 67, has had a long career in the public eye, working as a newspaper editor, a popular media pundit, a junior member of governments since the 1970s, and a former member of the European Parliament.
A Socialist minority government runs Portugal with backing of the Communist Party and the radical Left Bloc. It is scrapping unpopular economic austerity measures introduced after the financial crisis. Turnout was low Sunday at 52 percent after a dull two-week campaign.
Rebelo de Sousa’s expected win suggested voters were looking for a counterweight to the center-left government. Turnout was low Sunday at 52 percent after a dull two-week campaign.
The government is trying to pull off a balancing act by ending austerity measures while sticking to the financial prudence adopted after Portugal’s 78 billion-euro ($84 billion) bailout in 2011.
Rebelo de Sousa is a moderate who says he won’t rock the boat.
“The president has to be a factor of stability, not instability,” he said during the campaign.
The 67-year-old law professor has had a long career in the public eye, working as a newspaper editor, a media pundit, a junior member of governments since the 1970s, and a former member of the European Parliament.
The winner will move into the head of state’s riverside pink palace in Lisbon on March 9, replacing Anibal Cavaco Silva, who has served the maximum of two five-year terms.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.