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Seguro’s victory with just over 31% of the vote was unexpected against André Ventura, leader of the far-right Chega party, as pre-election polls had consistently shown Ventura enjoying the strongest support among voters.

As no candidate secured an absolute majority, Seguro and Ventura will face each other in the second round of the election scheduled for February 8.

Ventura’s ability to win nearly a quarter of the vote on Sunday highlights the remarkable growth of the Chega party in Portugal. In six years, the ultranationalist group has gone from having just one seat in parliament to becoming the country’s leading opposition party, controlling more than a quarter of the seats in the legislature.

Portugal operates under a semi-presidential system in which the head of state has the power to appoint the prime minister and dissolve parliament.

The president also has the authority to veto legislation, ratify international treaties, appoint certain members of key state and judicial bodies, and grant pardons. In addition, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the president wields significant influence over Portugal’s military deployments.