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Portuguese incumbent President leading in polls after 96% of ballots counted

According to preliminary results, Marcelo Rebelo De Sousa receives 62.54% of votes

MADRID, January 25. /TASS/. Portugal’s incumbent President Marcelo Rebelo De Sousa is leading in the presidential election held on Sunday with 95.89% of ballots counted. The preliminary results were announced by the Portuguese Ministry of the Interior.

According to its information, the incumbent president receives 62.54% of votes. He is followed by leader of the far-right CHEGA party Andre Ventura (11.87%) and lawyer and former diplomat Ana Gomes (11.78%). Marisa Matias garnered 3.9% of the vote, Joao Ferreira - 3.82%, Vitorino Silva - 3.35%, Tiago Mayan Goncalves - 2.75%. Thus, the incumbent president has the necessary support to win the first round of the election.

The presidential election in Portugal was held against the background of the increasing spread of the coronavirus infection in the country. In all, in the republic with the population of over 10 mln, more than 636,000 cases of the infection were detected, over 10,400 patients died. The daily record high of new infections was recorded before the election as well as the highest number of deaths over 24 hours due to the coronavirus. Portuguese authorities introduced a number of measures in order to ensure a safe election.

The incumbent president initially was favored to win the election. He led Portugal’s Social Democratic Party from 1996 to 1999. He won the 2016 election, garnering 52% of the vote.

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