2026 Portuguese presidential election
← 2021 January 2026
Incumbent President

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
PSD



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Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Portugal in January 2026. The elections will elect the successor to President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who is barred from running for a third term.

Background and election procedure

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was re-elected in January 2021 with almost 61% of the votes on the first round. He took the oath of office on 9 March 2021, and continued the cohabitation with Socialist Prime Minister António Costa. In Portugal, the president is the head of state and has mostly ceremonial powers; however, the president has some political influence and can dissolve the Parliament of Portugal if a crisis occurs. The president also has an official residence in the Belém Palace in Lisbon.

To stand for election, candidates for the presidency each have to gather 7,500 signatures of support one month before the election, and submit them to the Constitutional Court of Portugal. Then, the Constitutional Court has to certify if the candidacies submitted meet the requirements to appear on the ballot. The highest number of candidacies ever accepted was ten, in 2016. Under Portuguese law, a candidate must receive a majority of votes (50% plus one vote) to be elected. If no candidate achieves a majority in the first round, a runoff election (i.e., second round, held between the two candidates who receive the most votes in the first round) has to be held.

Candidates

Declared

Independent

Publicly expressed interest

Socialist Party

Social Democratic Party

CHEGA

Independent

Potential

Socialist Party

Social Democratic Party

Left Bloc

Liberal Initiative

Portuguese Communist Party

CDS - People's Party

Independent

Declined

Opinion polling

First round

Graphic summary

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.

Polling

Polling firm Fieldwork date Sample
size 		O/
U 		Lead
Ind. PS PSD CDS PSD BE BE PS CH CDU CDU PS IL PSD PS Ind. PS Ind. Ind.
Intercampus 9–14 Sep 2023 614 7.8 8.8 15.8 3.9 6.0 — 5.5 1.5 9.0 — 2.0 3.4 3.3 3.1 14.8 — — 3.9 2.0 9.3 1.0
Intercampus 3–6 Jul 2023 623 7.9 14.3 13.3 3.2 3.0 — 6.9 1.4 11.4 — 0.8 5.9 3.2 — 15.1 — 2.7 2.6 1.9 6.3 0.8
Intercampus 3–10 Feb 2023 602 10.0 10.6 15.8 — 3.8 4.3 — 3.8 9.5 — — 6.0 3.8 4.0 13.5 4.7 — — — 10.2
[a] 		2.3
Intercampus
[b] 		15–20 Nov 2022 605 15.9 9.6 15.2 6.3 7.3 4.0 — 5.8 6.1 3.3 — 8.6 2.1 — — — — — — 15.8 0.7
Intercampus 6–11 Jul 2022 605 31.7 — — 10.9 10.4 7.8 — 7.8 6.1 3.0 — — — — — — — — — 22.3 20.8
— — — 18.3 17.4 12.7 — 12.2 — 4.5 — — — — — — — — — 34.9 0.9
— 31.1 — 13.6 16.2 7.8 — — — 4.0 — — — — — — — — — 27.4 14.9
— — 23.1 — 16.5 12.9 — 12.4 — 4.5 — — — — — — — — — 30.6 6.6

Preferred candidate

Poll results showing public opinion on who would be the best candidate for each political side, are shown in the table below in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first.

Center-right/Right

Polling firm Fieldwork date Sample
size 		O/U Lead
PSD PSD PSD CH CDS Ind. IL
14–18 Sep 2023 Aximage 804 19.8 19.5 13.0 11.3 11.2 7.0 6.0 12.2 0.3

Center-left/Left

Polling firm Fieldwork date Sample
size 		O/U Lead
PS PS Ind. BE PS PS CDU
14–18 Sep 2023 Aximage 804 34 19 12 9 8 6 5 7 15

Approval ratings

Graphical summary

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.

Polling

The table below lists the evolution of public opinion on the President's performance in office.

Polling
firm 		Fieldwork
date 		Sample
size 		Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Approve Disapprove No opinion Net
Intercampus 6–10 Feb 2024 608 33.8 33.4 32.8 0.4
Intercampus 16–20 Jan 2024 637 29.3 41.3 29.4 12.0
Aximage 18–23 Dec 2023 805 28 45 27 17
Intercampus 18–21 Dec 2023 611 29.3 38.1 32.6 8.8
Aximage 18–23 Nov 2023 802 37 33 30 4
Intercampus 14–17 Nov 2023 602 33.3 36.2 30.4 2.9
Aximage 18–24 Oct 2023 805 44 34 22 10
Intercampus 18–23 Oct 2023 604 38.3 33.1 28.6 5.2
Aximage 2–5 Oct 2023 601 34 30 36 4
Intercampus 9–14 Sep 2023 614 44.4 24.2 31.4 20.2
Intercampus 7–11 Aug 2023 607 50.1 21.0 28.9 29.1
Aximage 6–11 Jul 2023 800 53 27 20 26
Intercampus 3–6 Jul 2023 623 40.0 30.7 29.3 9.3
Intercampus 25–31 May 2023 611 37.5 32.4 30.1 5.1
Aximage 10–14 Apr 2023 805 44 37 19 7
Intercampus 6–12 Apr 2023 610 43.6 25.5 30.9 18.1
Intercampus 9–15 Mar 2023 613 45.6 26.8 27.6 18.8
Intercampus 3–10 Feb 2023 602 41.2 28.4 30.4 12.8
Aximage 10–14 Jan 2023 805 45 35 20 10
Intercampus 6–11 Jan 2023 605 46.8 26.3 27.0 20.5
Pitagórica 9–15 Dec 2022 828 63 32 5 31
ICS/ISCTE 3–15 Dec 2022 809 71 27 2 44
Intercampus 17–22 Oct 2022 607 45.0 26.3 28.7 18.7
Aximage 21–24 Sep 2022 810 49 25 26 24
Intercampus 9–15 Sep 2022 606 52.0 18.1 29.9 33.9
Intercampus 3–10 Aug 2022 605 56.5 16.9 26.6 39.6
Pitagórica 28 Jul–10 Aug 2022 828 64 31 5 33
Intercampus 6–11 Jul 2022 605 57.2 19.5 23.3 37.7
Aximage 5–10 Jul 2022 810 56 22 22 34
Pitagórica 21 Jun–4 Jul 2022 828 70 27 3 43
Intercampus 8–14 Jun 2022 611 60.9 13.8 25.3 47.1
Intercampus 7–15 May 2022 611 61.2 14.6 24.2 46.6
Aximage 12–18 Apr 2022 807 61 15 24 46
Intercampus 13–20 Aug 2021 612 62.3 12.8 24.9 49.5
Eurosondagem 26–29 Jul 2021 1,025 81.1 8.0 10.9 73.1
Aximage 10–12 Jul 2021 763 55 18 27 37
Eurosondagem 5–8 Jul 2021 1,022 80.8 9.7 9.5 71.1
Aximage 26–30 May 2021 796 70 10 20 60
Eurosondagem 10–13 May 2021 1,008 80.0 9.4 10.6 70.6
Intercampus 5–11 May 2021 610 69.0 11.1 19.9 57.9
Aximage 22–25 Apr 2021 830 71 10 19 61
Intercampus 7–13 Apr 2021 609 67.0 14.7 18.3 52.3
ICS/ISCTE 5–13 Apr 2021 802 79.9 7.3 12.8 72.6
Eurosondagem 5–8 Apr 2021 1,020 75.1 4.8 20.1 70.3
Aximage 24–27 Mar 2021 830 72 17 11 55
Intercampus 4–10 Mar 2021 615 69.3 10.2 20.5 59.1

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Francisco Assis - 0.5%; Others/Neither/Would not vote - 9.7%:
  2. ^ Voters were asked which candidate they prefer.

References

  1. ^ "Tim Vieira anuncia candidatura a Belém. Quer "começar a criar uma visão para o país"". Diário de Notícias (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  2. ^ Cunha, Mariana Lima. "Esquerda procura candidata a Belém e pensa em Alexandra Leitão, que admite "interesse" em "entendimentos alargados"". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  3. ^ Duarte, José Carlos. ""Nunca digas nunca" e "futuro a Deus pertence." Santos Silva não descarta candidatar-se à Presidência da República". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-03-31.
  4. ^ a b c d e "O que Medina nos anda a esconder". Jornal Expresso (in European Portuguese). 21 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
  5. ^ PÚBLICO (2023-08-27). "Marques Mendes admite candidatar-se à Presidência da República". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  6. ^ a b c d e “Exclusivo Palácio de Belém, 2026. Os possíveis inquilinos que se seguem”, Diário de Notícias (October 25, 2020).
  7. ^ Antunes, André Filipe. "Presidenciais de 2026. André Ventura assume que pode ser candidato se Santos Silva e Marques Mendes avançarem". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  8. ^ "José Castelo Branco: "Se calhar tenho que me candidatar à Presidência da República"". Holofote (in European Portuguese). 2022-01-16. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  9. ^ ""Não me excluo de nada". Santana Lopes antevê presidenciais de 2026". ZAP Notícias (in European Portuguese). 2020-10-02. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  10. ^ Figueiredo, Inês André. "Santana Lopes candidato a Presidente da República? "Não vejo no centro-direita ninguém com melhor currículo do que eu"". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  11. ^ ECO (2023-08-30). "Santana Lopes atira decisão de concorrer às presidenciais para o meio de 2024". ECO (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  12. ^ a b c d "Sondagem TVI/CNN: Gouveia e Melo, Costa e Passos Coelho são os candidatos presidenciais com maior potencial. Sócrates e Jerónimo no fim da tabela". CNN Portugal (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  13. ^ “Costa prepara Legislativas a pensar nas Presidenciais de 2026? Há quem aposte nisso”, Observador (June 11, 2018).
  14. ^ a b "Serão Guterres e Barroso presidenciáveis?". Jornal SOL (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  15. ^ Lopes, Ana Sá (9 May 2023). "António José Seguro já não exclui regressar à política". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  16. ^ Antunes, Mariana Lima Cunha, Rui Pedro. "Vitorino, que já foi o favorito de Costa para Belém, não entusiasma PS". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-05-27.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ "Francisco Assis diz que "não está nem deixa de estar disponível" para presidenciais". www.cmjornal.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  18. ^ Cunha, Mariana Lima. "Catarina Martins não vai para a "reforma". Partido admite apostar na líder cessante para Europeias ou Presidenciais". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  19. ^ a b "Almirante Gouveia e Melo bate políticos na corrida à Presidência". www.cmjornal.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-07-15.
  20. ^ "Almirante Gouveia e Melo à frente de Pedro Passos Coelho na corrida à presidência da República". www.cmjornal.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  21. ^ "Eleições presidenciais". www.cmjornal.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-07-11.
  22. ^ ZAP (2020-10-11). "Portas não quer Câmara de Lisboa. Já está de olho nas presidenciais de 2026". ZAP Notícias (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-01-11.
  23. ^ "Foi você que pediu um candidato a Belém?". Expresso (in Portuguese). 2023-08-28. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  24. ^ "Sócrates diz que "mentiras caíram", promete defender-se e avisa ter "muito a dizer", Jornal de Negócios (April 9, 2021).
  25. ^ "Candidatura à Presidência da República? Gouveia e Melo diz que daria um péssimo político". SIC Notícias (in European Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2021-12-08. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  26. ^ Portugal, Rádio e Televisão de (16 December 2021). "Vice-Almirante Gouveia e Melo não exclui candidatura a Belém". Vice-Almirante Gouveia e Melo não exclui candidatura a Belém (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  27. ^ "Gouveia e Melo sobre candidatura presidencial. "Parece que alguém quer ter um seguro de vida"". Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-01-22.
  28. ^ "Marcelo deita o país no divã e lança mais um candidato a Belém". www.dn.pt (in European Portuguese). 21 December 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  29. ^ "Durão Barroso avisa PSD que tem de "ganhar" as eleições europeias (e afasta candidatura presidencial)". Expresso (in Portuguese). 2023-09-02. Retrieved 2024-01-22.

External links

Portuguese presidential elections
Elections and referendums in Portugal
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