This week sees the 10 people vying to fill Cavaco Silva’s shoes out in force throughout the country and its island communities, drumming up support for the first round of voting which will take place on January 24.
As everyone is agreed, the greatest threat to the contest is abstention.
Do the Portuguese care enough about who the next president will be to come out in sufficient numbers? Candidates have to win over 50% of the vote to be chosen, and if none achieve this, there will be a second round of voting in February (on St Valentine’s Day).
According to polls so far, the race is really only applicable to three candidates: outspoken darling of the TV cameras Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (the favourite of the centre-right PSD) and Socialist stalwarts Sampaio de Nóvoa and former government minister Maria de Belém.
All the others are at best sound bites and at worst – according to television commentator Marques Mendes – a waste of time.
Talking on Sunday, Marques Mendes said this was the first presidential contest “with so many candidates” and the debates that have been screened over the last few weeks “show that some don’t have even the minimum requirements to exercise such an important function” as President of the Republic.
The situation is just another sign of the downgrading going on in institutions, he said.
But what is interesting as the ‘race’ approaches the finishing line is that Rebelo de Sousa – weeks ago a dead-cert for the job – appears to be “losing steam”, writes the nation’s best-selling tabloid.
The gap between his and Sampaio de Nóvoa is forever decreasing, with the latter having performed far better in last week’s head-to-head television encounter.
As news sources reported, Rebelo de Sousa was left flailing about for answers and waving his hands in the air with wide eyes as the psychology professor was described as “prepared, convinced and convincing” by followers on Twitter.
With polls changing by the day, the bottom line still remains a likely win by Rebelo de Sousa with a good chance the ‘race’ will be decided on January 24.
natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
Photo: Presidential candidates Sampaio de Nóvoa (left) and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in last week’s head-to-head television encounter
Photo by: JOSÉ SENA GOULÃO
