Exit poll expected at 8pm local time (20.00 GMT) in second snap general election in three years
We asked Marco Lisi, an associate professor at NOVA University Lisbon’s political science department, about the key things to watch in this election.
“Several factors distinguish this election from the previous one. Firstly, the presence of new leaders, particularly within the two major parties (PS and PSD), adds a fresh dynamic,” he said.
The establishment of a cordon sanitaire against Chega seems unlikely, as the moderate right is likely to pursue all available avenues to attain power, while the left aims to polarise the discourse by leveraging the radical right (and its potential alliance with PSD) as a strategic tool to appeal to moderate voters.
Nonetheless, there is a lack of consensus within the main center-right party regarding the strategy to adopt towards Chega.
In April, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of our democratic revolution and it has emotional elements. If on April 25 we will celebrate the democratic revolution but with a far-right party in parliament probably exerting pressure on a centre-right government, this will be the worst outcome for Portugal. So this is what we’re trying to avoid.
I think that the progressives can still win this election … I think that we will have to engage in a reflection about what happened in the last two mandates that came out unfulfilled and that we have to renew our contract with the people.
The left wing needs to speak more about the future, needs to say what its objects of political desire are.
Continue reading…Exit poll expected at 8pm local time (20.00 GMT) in second snap general election in three yearsWe asked Marco Lisi, an associate professor at NOVA University Lisbon’s political science department, about the key things to watch in this election.“Several factors distinguish this election from the previous one. Firstly, the presence of new leaders, particularly within the two major parties (PS and PSD), adds a fresh dynamic,” he said.The establishment of a cordon sanitaire against Chega seems unlikely, as the moderate right is likely to pursue all available avenues to attain power, while the left aims to polarise the discourse by leveraging the radical right (and its potential alliance with PSD) as a strategic tool to appeal to moderate voters.Nonetheless, there is a lack of consensus within the main center-right party regarding the strategy to adopt towards Chega.In April, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of our democratic revolution and it has emotional elements. If on April 25 we will celebrate the democratic revolution but with a far-right party in parliament probably exerting pressure on a centre-right government, this will be the worst outcome for Portugal. So this is what we’re trying to avoid.I think that the progressives can still win this election … I think that we will have to engage in a reflection about what happened in the last two mandates that came out unfulfilled and that we have to renew our contract with the people.The left wing needs to speak more about the future, needs to say what its objects of political desire are. Continue reading…