Portugal’s 2026 Presidential Election Tests a Fading Democratic Tradition

From record-high engagement in 1986 to today’s apathy, Portugal’s next election could redefine its democratic future. Will voters break the trend of abstention?

, and Administrator

2025 December 15 . 7:37 PM

1 min read

people are sitting on the chairs. in front of them there is a table on which there is a jug, papers... — people are sitting on the chairs. in front of them there is a table on which there is a jug, papers and pen. behind that there are people seated on the chairs. the person at the center is holding a microphone and speaking. behind them there is a white and blue flag. at the back there is a white and blue background on which honorable camara de is written.

Portugal’s 2026 Presidential Election Tests a Fading Democratic Tradition

Portugal will hold its 11th presidential election in January 2026, continuing a democratic tradition that began in 1976. Since then, voters have chosen five different presidents across ten contests, casting nearly 50 million ballots in total. The upcoming democratic election follows a trend of declining participation, with abstention hitting record levels in recent years.

The first democratic presidential election took place in 1976, and Mário Soares won a key runoff against Freitas do Amaral in 1986—the election with the highest-ever turnout. Over time, voter engagement has waned. The 2011 election saw the lowest participation rate, with only 52% of the electorate voting to re-elect Aníbal Cavaco Silva.

The 2026 election will extend a 50-year tradition of direct presidential votes. With turnout declining in recent decades, the upcoming election will test whether voters return to the polls. The result will determine Portugal’s sixth democratically elected president since 1976.