Center-Right Candidate Favored for Portugal’s Next President

LISBON, Portugal (AP) —
In this picture taken Jan. 20, 2016, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa smiles while addressing supporters during his presidential election campaign in Lisbon. A poll published Friday, Jan. 22, 2016, in weekly Expresso suggested Rebelo de Sousa, a veteran center-right politician who became a popular television personality, will collect more than 50 percent of votes against nine rivals in the Jan. 24 Portuguese presidential election. In Portugal the president has no executive power, which is held by the government, but is an influential voice. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
In this picture taken Jan. 20, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa smiles while addressing supporters during his presidential election campaign in Lisbon. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Portuguese voters are electing a new president, with a veteran center-right politician who became a popular media personality strongly favored to capture the mostly ceremonial post.

Opinion polls suggest Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will collect more than 50 percent of the vote against nine rivals.

His strong poll lead in recent weeks and the head of state’s largely figurehead role means Sunday’s election has mostly failed to capture the public’s imagination.

Executive power is held by a Socialist minority government. With the backing of the Communist Party and the radical Left Bloc it has been scrapping austerity measures introduced after a recent financial crisis. Critics say that is a risky policy in debt-heavy Portugal.

Rebelo de Sousa says he wants to build bridges between political parties and won’t rock the boat.

 

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