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We follow here the main events of this Sunday, the day of the presidential elections, from the vote to the ballot and the reactions of the political protagonists in the special broadcast of RTP.
The candidate Marisa Matias has already exercised her voting rights in the Mário Mexia pavilion, in Coimbra. The presidential candidate supported by the Bloco de Esquerda says that during the 40 minutes she was in the queue for the vote, she saw “a lot of participation and a lot of organization.”
Marisa Matias appealed to all Portuguese to go to the polls. “Voting is safe,” said one of the seven presidential candidates.
In Faro, there was some initial confusion on the routes to get to their polling stations.
The turnout has been normal for the electoral act, found RTP reporter Duarte Baltazar.
The general secretary of the PCP has already voted for Santa Iria da Azoia, in Loures. Jerónimo de Sousa recognizes that it is “natural” that there is a “feeling of insecurity” due to the pandemic that leads to not participating in the electoral act, but guarantees that “it is worth coming to vote”, arguing that all security and must be met sanitary measures.
Asked if it is not contradictory to appeal to a vote at a time when the country is confined, the general secretary of the PCP affirms that “there is no incompatibility in the exercise of a fundamental right.”
“The best way to defend, comply and enforce the Constitution is to allow the Portuguese to vote,” concludes Jerónimo de Sousa.
The leader of the CDS-PP was the first prominent political figure to vote this Sunday. Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos voted just before 10 a.m. at Lumiar Secondary School in Lisbon and left a call to vote.
“These presidential elections are a crucial act in the life of our country and for our collective future,” he said, recalling that the country is already experiencing a situation of instability due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The centrist revealed that he saw a higher turnout than usual in his voting area.
In Coimbra the elections run smoothly from the first hours.
Due to the length of the lines caused by respect for social distance, those responsible for the parish council of Santa Maria dos Olivais seek that people with reduced mobility or other difficulties can vote as soon as possible.
Different and well-marked routes, hygiene and special protection for members of the polling stations.
Alvalade’s parish council says it did everything possible to provide comfort and security for voters.
At the Bom Sucesso school, in Porto, a queue formed even before the opening of the electoral assemblies. An attempt to skip the lines and vote for more security.
9:50 am – Prime Minister asks for a vote and respect for security measures
In a message posted on Twitter and addressed to all Portuguese, António Costa appealed this morning to vote.
Voting is a fundamental right and an exercise of citizenship. Not doing it is letting others decide our future.
To guarantee health regulations, more than 12,000 polling stations are open and thousands of equipment were purchased, in unprecedented planning.– António Costa (@antoniocostapm) January 24, 2021
The prime minister also called for respect for safety and health rules when voting, recalling that there are four essential measures to vote safely: “wear a mask; keep a safe distance; disinfect your hands; use your own pen ”.
9:45 am – Day of going to the polls
Under a new phase of confinement and in the context of an aggravation of the Covid-19 pandemic, the presidential election process this Sunday ends. This is the tenth time in a democracy, since 1976, that Portuguese voters are called upon to elect the President of the Republic.
The election campaign ended on Friday.
Seven candidates are running for these elections: Marisa Matias, supported by the Left Bloc, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, reelection candidate supported by PSD and CDS-PP, Tiago Mayan, with support from the Liberal Initiative, André Ventura, Chega , former member of the PS and leader of the RIR, Vitorino Silva, also known as Tino de Rans, João Ferreira, supported by the PCP and the PEV, and Ana Gomes, a socialist militant with the support of the PAN and Livre.
Early voting
About 80 percent of voters registered for early voting voted last Sunday, according to final data from 308 municipalities released by the Interior Ministry.Anyone who signed up for early voting and didn’t, can do so today.
Of a total of 246,880 registered, 197,903 voted, that is, around 80.15 percent.
The objective of this year’s early voting was to avoid large concentrations of people, in the face of the pandemic. However, early voting day was marked by long lines, particularly in large urban centers.
What generated criticism from the opposition parties.
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