Presidential Election in Portugal (23 January)

[Hans-im-Glück]

I see nobody post it

Last week was the Presidential election in Portugal. It gave no surprise. The incumbent President Anibal Cavaco Silva won it in the first round. The turnout was with only 46,52% the lowest of all Presidential elections

The Result:

Cavaco Silva (PSD) 52,95%
Manuel Alegre (PS) 19,76%
Fernando Nobre (IND)14,1%
Francisco Lopes (PCP) 7,14%
José Coelho (PND) 4,49%
Defensor Moura (IND) 1,57%
 
Blank Ballots 4,26%
Invalid Ballots 1,93%

For Cavaco Silva it was a victory, but with this small turnout it was only a very small victory. The official Candidate of the Socialists, Manuel Alegre, had a real disaster. Many of the left voters, PS and Bloco de Esquerda, stay at home or voted for the independent candidate Fernando Nobre. He had a very good result. The Communist, Francisco Lopes, get the votes the PCP always have. José Coelho, a regional Candidate from Madeira, can be pleased with his result. The member of the Socialist Party, Defensor Moura, who run as independent, had a very bad result.

[RodPresident]

Portugal is the next in the list for bailout by EC/IMF and there's a minority Socialist government... If government go for take money from Merkel and Strauss-Kahn, they will be unable to mantain left support, but Socrates will need to compromise with PSD and CDS-PP to get support. If unable, we would go to a early election...

[Hans-im-Glück]

I would bet all my money that we will see early elections in Portugal. The only question is when?

[Niemeyerite]

I was about to post a thread like thios the day before the election... but sometimes, I can be the lazyest person in the world haha...
I was supporting mr. Alegre (mr. happy), but I knew he woud lose badly (I didn't expect him to lose that badly). a good result for nobre... and at least, cavaco didn't carry 58-60%, the result he was expecting.

and I don't think socrates will call for a special early election... he was reelected last year and he is the best man to manage portugal... people here in spain are also saying that zapatero could force an early election, but he won't. and PSOE will win in 2012, with rubalcaba as our candidate ^^

[Hash]

Those who read my blog will know that I blogged about it

[RodPresident]

Cavaco, although late-campaign scandals with banks, was candidate with image of elder statesman. I believe that many Socialists boycotted Alegre also because its independent candidacy in 2005. If crisis had hit Portugal with a great strength, I believe that Nobre would be able to go to run-off and win. In 2016, the contest can be Durão Barroso vs. Guterres or Sampaio (that will be 77).