Portuguese President Cavaco re-elected for second term

Portuguese President Cavaco re-elected for second term

2011-01-24 21:56:21 GMT+7 (ICT)

LISBON, PORTUGAL (BNO NEWS) -- Incumbent President Aníbal Cavaco Silva on Monday was announced as the winner of the Portuguese presidential elections after winning just over 50 percent of the votes, Algarve Daily News reported.

Cavaco received 52.94 percent of the votes and thus was re-elected for his second term as polling stations reported a low turnout. Less than 50 percent of registered voters went to cast votes, a record low.

The incumbent Portuguese leader obtained less that 540,000 votes as many people decided not to vote or to leave the ballots in blank. His nearest rival, Manuel Alegre, received 19.75 percent of the votes.

Socialist candidate Alegre was expected to pose a bigger threat to Cavaco's re-election but failed to create an impact in the voters. So far, 98 percent of the total votes have been counted. Portugal is currently enduring a debt crisis.

Prime Minister Jose Socrates backed Alegre but after defeat, the main challenge will be collaboration between Cavaco and the Socialist PM. Socrates said that the aim of the elections was to gain stability.

Re-elected president Cavaco said he supported political stability as he considers it the road to solving Portugal's problems. Cavaco was first elected as president in the 2006 elections as candidate of the PPD party.

From 1985 to 1995, Cavaco was the Portuguese Prime Minister and his term has been the longest in the country's history. He unsuccessfully contested in the 1996 presidential elections.

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