- Title: Ruling Socialists seen as favourites as Portugal votes
- Date: 6th October 2019
- Summary: LISBON, PORTUGAL (OCTOBER 6, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SIGN AT POLLING STATION READING IN PORTUGUESE "COUNCIL OF FREGUESIA OF SAO VICENTE. LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS 2019. OCTOBER 6" MEN SETTING UP POLLING STATION VARIOUS OF WOMAN VOTING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE VOTING VOTE BEING CAST INTO BALLOT BOX WOMAN LOOKING AT VOTERS LIST MORE OF PEOPLE VOTING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) LISBON RESIDENT ADRIANA MACHADO, SAYING: "It would be good that the health (system) and education got better. I think these are the main points in our country because unfortunately not everyone has access to health, especially dental medicine because it's very expensive and we have a nation of toothless people. So, if get that done it would be good." (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) LISBON RESIDENT JOSE MENDES SAYING: "I think it's ok, for me it's ok (to go out and vote). But there is always a "but". I hope it goes well. I don't know if I can say this the party I voted for but I think it's going to be ok." (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) LISBON RESIDENT PAULA CRISTINA SAYING: "(I hope) People come to vote and search for what's the best for the country. It's a duty." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CASTING THEIR VOTE MAN CASTING VOTE AND RECEIVING ID CARD BACK WOMAN CROSSING NAMES ON LIST MAN CASTING VOTE WOMAN CASTING VOTE VOTES BEING CAST VARIOUS OF PEOPLE VOTING LISBON, PORTUGAL (OCTOBER 5, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS GENERAL VIEWS OF LISBON
- Embargoed: 20th October 2019 09:46
- Keywords: Portugal elections polls open elections Lisbon polling station Prime Minister Antonio Costa Socialists
- Location: LISBON, PORTUGAL
- City: LISBON, PORTUGAL
- Country: Portugal
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZYJUPZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Portugal began voting on Sunday (October 6) in an election that Prime Minister Antonio Costa's Socialists are expected to win without an outright majority, leaving the fate of potential allies as the main question.
Opinion polls indicate the Socialists will come top with between 36.5% and 38.8% of the vote but will need one or more parties to back them to stay in government. Costa's minority government has been backed by two far-left parties since 2015.
Costa's government has been praised by Brussels and at home for combining fiscal discipline with measures to promote growth after recession and the austerity of Portugal's 2010-14 debt crisis.
But after a series of scandals, from a nepotism row to the alleged involvement of a former minister in an army cover-up of the theft of weapons from a military base, other voters said it was time for a change.
(Production: Miguel Pereira, Marco Trujilo, Juan Antonio Dominguez, Miguel Gutierrez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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