Portugal’s Non-Socialists Rally Behind Seguro to Avert Far-Right Presidency

In the space of a single weekend, a group of citizens who openly describe themselves as "non-socialists" thrust the presidential race back into the spotlight, urging wavering voters to rally behind António José Seguro in the 8 February run-off against André Ventura. Their move, an unusual show of cross-party solidarity, adds a fresh layer of drama to a contest many people in Portugal assumed was already settled.

Quick Take

• 250 prominent personalities, some from the centre-right PSD and the economically liberal IL, signed a carta aberta endorsing Seguro.

• The manifesto frames the election as a choice between a "centre-left statesman" and the "radical right".

• PS leaders back Seguro but admit their support is "anything but enthusiastic".

• Polls conducted before the letter put Seguro near 70 % in a head-to-head scenario.

• The signatories fear voter complacency could narrow that lead.

A Rare Cross-Party Appeal

Portugal’s presidential elections are traditionally polite affairs where party lines blur. Even so, it is extraordinary to see non-socialist voices publicly campaign for the Socialist Party’s candidate. The letter, released online and rapidly shared on Portuguese social media, praises Seguro’s "sense of State" and condemns what it calls Ventura’s "divisionism". For seasoned observers, the tone recalls the 1986 wave that lifted Mário Soares—yet this time the appeal comes not from the left but from the political centre-right.

Who Put Their Names on the Line?

Among the 250 signatories are ex-PSD ministers, entrepreneurs who backed the IL in 2024’s legislative race, a handful of retired ambassadors and—perhaps most tellingly—several public intellectuals long critical of Socialist economics. By declaring themselves "Non-Socialists for Seguro" they seek to persuade undecided liberal and conservative voters that supporting a centre-left candidate is the surest way to block what they label a hard-right presidency.

Why Now—and Why in This Tone?

Their timing was not accidental. A University Católica poll on 23 January showed Seguro with a commanding lead but also detected early signs of desmobilização. The drafters of the letter fear a replay of 2021’s municipal turnout slump, when forecasted landslides evaporated on election day. "Polls do not elect presidents" became Seguro’s refrain; the manifesto echoes it, warning that a low turnout could hand Ventura an opening comparable to other European upsets.

Inside the Socialist Camp: Support Laced with Ambivalence

Officially, the PS backs its former secretary-general. Unofficially, conversations in São Caetano suggest lukewarm enthusiasm. Parliamentary leader Eurico Brilhante Dias even challenged smaller left-wing candidates to withdraw and endorse Seguro, highlighting a concern that fragmentation on the left could mirror the right’s consolidation around Ventura. The open letter relieves some of that pressure by trying to attract votes beyond traditional PS circles.

Could the Manifesto Move the Needle?

No post-letter survey has been published, but strategists in both camps agree the document’s real value lies in mobilising the middle. If even a modest share of PSD or IL voters heed the call, Ventura’s already narrow path tightens further. Conversely, failure to translate high-profile signatures into ballots could embolden the Chega leader’s narrative that elites conspire to block "popular" change.

Historical Echoes, Future Stakes

Portugal has seen cross-ideological alliances before—Soares in 1986, Sampaio’s re-election in 2001—but rarely with centre-right personalities endorsing a Socialist outright. The precedent underlines how deeply the idea of a radical-right presidency unsettles parts of the Portuguese establishment. Whether the carta aberta becomes a footnote or a turning point will be measured when voters file into polling stations on 8 February. For now, one thing is clear: the campaign no longer hinges solely on left versus right but on who can best embody republican stability in a turbulent European climate.