Center-left Socialist candidate António José Seguro is the strong favorite to defeat far-right populist André Ventura in the second round of Portugal's presidential election on Sunday, in a vote that will test the extent of support for Ventura's audacious political style.
Recent opinion polls indicate that Seguro will receive twice as many votes as Ventura in the runoff between the two top candidates, compared to the first round of voting last month, when none of the 11 contenders secured the more than 50% of the vote needed for victory.
However, reaching the second round is already a significant achievement for Ventura and his Chega (Enough) party, which has rapidly grown into a significant force in Portuguese politics amid a broader shift to the right in Europe.
In Portugal, the president is largely a symbolic figure with no executive power. Traditionally, the head of state stands above political conflict, mediating disputes and defusing tensions. However, the president is an influential voice and possesses some powerful tools, including the power to veto legislation passed by parliament, although the veto can be overridden. The head of state also possesses what is known in Portuguese political jargon as the "atomic bomb," the power to dissolve parliament and call early elections.
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