António José Seguro emerged as the most-voted candidate in the Autonomous Region of the Azores (RAA), securing 30.79% of the vote (28,714 ballots), followed by André Ventura with 26.74% (24,938 votes), according to the final tally published on the official portal of the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI).

The margin between the top two candidates stood at 3,776 votes—equivalent to 4.05 percentage points—a result that, when compared with national outcomes, reveals a narrowing of the gap in the Azores between the two contenders advancing to the second round of the presidential election.

A comparative reading with mainland Portugal and the other autonomous regions immediately highlights two distinctive Azorean features: voter abstention and the relatively stronger performance of the runner-up. Electoral participation in the Azores reached just 42.15% (97,182 voters out of 230,538 registered), far below the national turnout of 61.50% (5,696,638 voters out of 9,262,653 registered), a difference of 19.35 points.

At the same time, Ventura’s share in the Azores climbed to 26.74%, exceeding his national result of 23.29%, while Seguro’s performance fell slightly below his nationwide total (30.79% in the RAA versus 31.21% nationally).

The distribution of votes among the remaining candidates also altered the national hierarchy. In the Azores, third place went to Luís Marques Mendes with 13.81% (12,879 votes), ahead of João Cotrim de Figueiredo (12.91%; 12,038 votes) and Henrique Gouveia e Melo (10.47%; 9,766 votes).

Nationally, however, Cotrim de Figueiredo ranked third with 16.01%, followed by Gouveia e Melo (12.41%) and Marques Mendes (11.34%). This contrast suggests that in the Azores the traditional center-right commanded greater relative strength than in the country as a whole, while the liberal candidate underperformed his national average.

Another distinguishing feature was the proportion of invalid ballots. In the Azores, 2,320 blank votes (2.39% of voters) and 1,614 null votes (1.66%) were recorded, totaling 3,934 ballots without valid expression—4.05% of all votes cast. Nationally, blank ballots numbered 60,899 (1.07%) and null ballots 64,817 (1.14%), for a combined total of 125,716 votes, representing 2.21% of voters, below the Azorean figure. After accounting for blanks and nulls, the Azores registered 93,248 valid votes.

Francisco César Calls for Democratic Unity in the Runoff

Reacting to the results, Francisco César, leader of the Socialist Party in the Azores (PS/Açores), argued that “the results represent a major victory for the space of moderation” and for a political project grounded in dialogue, unity, and respect for democratic institutions, stressing that “it was a good day for democracy.”

Reflecting on the first-round outcome, César said politics should be practiced “not as one group against another, but as an effort to unite the Portuguese, to work with everyone, and to leave no one behind.”

For the Azorean socialist leader, the result now ushers in a new political cycle that transcends party boundaries. “Yesterday’s good day means that today we must have a new beginning. From now on, this is not a contest between left and right, nor between parties. In the second round, it is a contest between António José Seguro—who represents decency, respect for institutions, the Constitution, the law, and the rule of law—and, on the other side, exactly the opposite.”

César warned that the runoff would not be easy and that much more than a simple electoral outcome is at stake. “This is the fight of the Portuguese people’s lives: preserving a political system that guarantees everyone the right to hold opinions and decide their future, versus a project that promotes radicalism, division, and pits Portuguese against Portuguese.”

In this context, he drew a clear contrast with international political models he rejects for Portugal. “We are talking about a project similar to that of Donald Trump, which generates division, resentment, and radicalism. That is not what we want for our country.”

César also issued an explicit appeal to the entire democratic camp, including the regional leadership of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). “What a democrat—as I know the President of the PSD/Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, to be—must do is call for a vote for the only democrat heading into the next presidential election.”

“Silence cannot be complicit with radicalism. All democrats, whether on the left or the right, must call for a vote for António José Seguro. In fifteen days’ time, we need a decisive victory in the name of democracy in Portugal,” he added.

Reiterating that this is not a partisan issue, the PS/Açores president emphasized: “If it were any other democratic right-wing candidate facing André Ventura in a runoff, I would have declared my support from day one. We may have ideological differences, but there is a line that unites us: the uncompromising defense of democracy.”

“All the Azorean Right Must Unite Behind André Ventura,” Says José Pacheco

For José Pacheco, “regardless of party colors—which we will always respect—the entire Azorean right must unite in support of André Ventura.”

This was the appeal issued by the president of Chega Açores in the aftermath of election night, which confirmed Ventura’s passage to the presidential runoff after securing 26.74% of the vote in the Azores—“including finishing ahead of António José Seguro in five municipalities in the region, notably on São Miguel.”

“Between now and February 8, the recipe is to work hard, as we do every day,” Pacheco said, aiming to consolidate André Ventura as the leader of the right in Portugal. “That is why I call for unity, regardless of party affiliation. The great challenge is deciding whether we want more socialism or whether we want the right in the country’s highest office of influence.”

“For those on the right who are reluctant to vote for the left, the solution is simple: if senior right-wing leaders refuse to unite, then the people must unite and show a red card, backing André Ventura. The opportunity is now,” he urged.

The leader of Chega Açores said he was “very satisfied with the results achieved in the Azores,” but believes it is possible to do more. “All it takes is voting for André Ventura on February 8. We continue to win parishes, to post averages above the national mean, and that is very positive. There is still a lot of socialism here in the Azores—but it is coming to an end,” he concluded.

In Diário dos Açores-Paulo Viveiros-director.

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.