- Title: Antonio Costa votes as Socialists seen as favourites in Portugal election
- Date: 6th October 2019
- Summary: LISBON, PORTUGAL (OCTOBER 6, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF PRIME MINISTER AND SOCIALIST CANDIDATE, ANTONIO COSTA, ARRIVING AT POLLING STATION AND BEING GREETED BY SUPPORTERS VARIOUS OF COSTA QUEUING TO CAST HIS VOTE COSTA APPROACHING TABLE, SHAKING HANDS WITH WOMAN, GIVING ID CARD AND SHAKING HANDS WITH BOARD MEMBERS COSTA GETTING BALLOT AND WALKING BEHIND VOTING BOOTH TO FILL IT COSTA CASTING HIS VOTE, SHAKING HANDS AND LEAVING ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PRIME MINISTER AND SOCIALIST CANDIDATE, ANTONIO COSTA, SAYING: "I hope that everyone comes and makes the choice they have to do, but mainly I think the most important thing is to have great electoral participation. In democracy this is a moment of party and celebration. Each person has their vote and each vote can decide the future, but what I expect is everyone to participate and make the choice on their own conscious." COSTA AND JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PRIME MINISTER AND SOCIALIST CANDIDATE, ANTONIO COSTA, SAYING: "I'm calmed and naturally expectant. We will be waiting for the elections final results." COSTA HUGGING SUPPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRIME MINISTER AND SOCIALIST CANDIDATE, ANTONIO COSTA, SAYING: "For the Spanish elections I wish the best. I hope Spain can recover stability, it is very important for Europe, for Spain and also for us. Not only because we are neighbours but also for our economic relationships with Spain. We depend also on the stability that Spain can find, so all the best for Spain and for all Spaniards." COSTA GREETING SUPPORTER, WALKING DOWN STEP AND STUMBLING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CASTING THEIR VOTES IN POLLING STATION
- Embargoed: 20th October 2019 11:35
- Keywords: Portugal Prime Minister Antonio Costa Portugal elections Costa votes Socialists
- Location: LISBON, PORTUGAL
- City: LISBON, PORTUGAL
- Country: Portugal
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZYJWAV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa voted on Sunday (October 6) morning in an election that the Socialists are expected to win without an outright majority, leaving the fate of potential allies as the main question.
Costa said he hoped for high electoral participation and that each voter would "make the choice on their own conscious."
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.
(Production: Marco Trujillo, Juan Antonio Dominguez, Miguel Gutierrez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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