00:52Many Portuguese people are dismayed to see just how fragmented their landscape has become, how unpredictable, and the likelihood that they could be looking at a second round of presidential elections in February.
01:26He has fought a campaign that many people consider to be xenophobic, very much, many attacks on the gypsy community. And many people say that if their favourite candidate does not win in the first round, they would be prepared to switch to try to block him out.
01:46But nevertheless, the first time in four decades, the Portuguese people think that there will be that second round in February.
01:56And Sarah, how significant is this election?
01:58Well, the Portuguese president does not have perhaps the power of the French president. But nevertheless, this is a key institutional role in the event of any kind of political crisis in Portugal.
02:14He is the man who is supposed to bring different parties together. He nominates a candidate for prime minister and he can also use the crucial power of dissolving the parliament to call elections, as well as actually blocking any legislation that he would like the ruling government to relook at.
02:37And we've seen actually Marcelo Rebello de Souza, the conservative outgoing president, do that a couple of times in recent history.
02:46And notably, he blocked the euthanasia law when it was first put to the parliament. So nevertheless, something, a position that is absolutely crucial.
02:58And this is an election that will be watched across Europe as we see the rise of far right parties across Europe.
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