Election in Portugal: The Socialist Party can win and get an absolute majority

PS is highlighted on the front, with percentages ranging from 37 to 42%.
Edit

General, with 247 – In the first predictions of assembly elections in Portugal, the Socialist Party is leading with varying percentages, ranging from 37 to 42%, according to major television channels. With nearly a million voters in Lockdown, non-voting could have been lower than in 2019.

The biggest success rate for PS is SIC: 37.4% to 41.4%, PSD 26.9% to 30.9%. In terms of terms, the Socialist Party could be between 106 and 118, that is, it could still achieve an absolute majority (116). PSD is between 75 and 85 slots. In 2019, it elected 79 delegates. At worst, Rui Rio could end up worse than in previous elections.

At the Altis Hotel in Lisbon, where the Socialists watch the election results, there is already a celebratory and optimistic atmosphere of PS victory. The slogan reads, “People have already voted, PS has already won.” Check:

Also read a Reuters article on this topic:

Lisbon (Reuters) – Portuguese voters went to the polls on Sunday to cast their ballots.

Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. (5 p.m. in Brazil). At the University of Lisbon, the number of staff was higher than the elderly electorate, with posters on the wall urging people to wear masks, adhere to social gaps and use their own pens. Some wore gloves for extra protection.

“I was vaccinated, I’m not Covit-19 yet … but I felt very safe,” said Maria Oded, 73. He said the elections were too hot to form a stable government that could bring about positive change.

The government allowed victims to come out of solitude and vote in person, promising “complete security” during voting, at the last minute before voting ends at 7pm (4pm in Brazil).

It is estimated that more than a tenth of the 10 million Portuguese are isolated due to Kovit-19. As with many European countries, infections are on the rise, although widespread vaccination keeps deaths and hospitalizations lower than previous waves.

The election results are obvious, as none of the center-left Socialists have lost their lead in the main opposition center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) in the polls.

Low participation makes predictions unreliable, analysts say. Abstaining from voting in 2019 before the epidemic had reached a record high, with 51% of voters not turning out in that year’s general election. So far, about 23% of eligible voters have cast their ballots, according to official figures.

“High stability”

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa and more than 300,000 other Portuguese voted early last weekend, but went to the polls in Lisbon with his wife this Sunday.

Speaking to reporters he barked and walked over to his two dogs, saying Costa was “confident and calm” with the results.

His main rival, PSD leader Rui Rio, who voted in Porto, also said he was calm and urged people to go to the polls.

“Given the uncertainty of the results, we expect more people to vote, but we also have an epidemic that could cause fear for some,” Rio said.

The referendum, called in November after parliament rejected the budget of the Socialist minority government, could form a short-term government until one of the major parties forms a coalition to form a new government.

“We want more stability, but I do not think that will happen. I think we will have instability for a year or two,” said Mario Henriques, 42, who left the polling station.

This uncertainty will complicate Portugal’s access to the EU’s .6 16.6 billion ($ 18.7 billion) aid package for epidemic recovery.