Portugal began voting on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that could, for the first time in decades, force a runoff and elevate a far-right contender into the final stage of the race.
Polling stations opened nationwide in the morning and are set to close in the evening, with exit polls and results expected overnight.
Nearly 11 million voters are eligible to choose among 11 candidates competing to replace President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who is stepping down after serving the maximum two five-year terms.
Opinion surveys indicate a close contest, with no candidate projected to secure the more than 50 percent needed to win outright in the first round.
Polls suggest Socialist candidate Antonio Jose Seguro, Chega leader Andre Ventura, and liberal lawmaker Joao Cotrim de Figueiredo are separated by only a few percentage points.
Such tight margins reflect an increasingly fragmented political landscape and could lead to only the second runoff since Portugal’s transition from dictatorship, the last occurring in 1986.
Under current projections, Ventura could reach a second round on February 8 but is expected to lose to any rival due to a high rejection rate among voters.
The election comes as Portugal’s far-right gains ground, with Chega emerging as the second-largest force in parliament in recent elections.
Although the presidency is largely ceremonial, the office carries important authority, including the power to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call early elections.
Ventura has distinguished himself during the campaign by attacking what he describes as “excessive immigration” and by promoting hardline messages on social issues.
Other leading contenders come from Portugal’s traditional center-left and center-right parties, which have dominated national politics for decades.
While Portugal’s political shifts are unlikely to alter the broader direction of the European Union, the vote is being closely watched as another measure of the far-right’s momentum across Europe.