PORTUGAL: VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS IN ELECTION WHICH ARE PREDICTED TO PUT OPPOSITION SOCIAL DEMOCRATS IN GOVERNMENT
Record ID:
328775
PORTUGAL: VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS IN ELECTION WHICH ARE PREDICTED TO PUT OPPOSITION SOCIAL DEMOCRATS IN GOVERNMENT
- Title: PORTUGAL: VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS IN ELECTION WHICH ARE PREDICTED TO PUT OPPOSITION SOCIAL DEMOCRATS IN GOVERNMENT
- Date: 18th March 2002
- Summary: LISBON, PORTUGAL (March 17, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. SLV LISBON CENTRAL POLLING STATION 0.05 2. MV SOCIAL DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE DURAO BARROSO ARRIVING AT POLLING STATION 0.15 3. MV PEOPLE CASTING THEIR VOTE 0.19 4. MV BARROSO RECEIVING BALLOT; MV PHOTOGRAPHERS; BARROSO CASTING HIS VOTE (3 SHOTS) 0.57 5. SOUNDBITE (English) SOCIAL DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE, DURAO BARROSO SAYING "I'm very confident. Of course today is the vote, Today I cannot and I shall not make any political consideration, but I just hope that the Portuguese people will think in a very responsible manner about the best solution for our country. Let's wait for the results. I am sure that even in the bad weather we have today, many Portuguese are coming to vote and (that) from my point of view expresses a will for change." 1.33 6. MV BARROSO BEING INTERVIEWED; SLV PEOPLE LINED UP FOR VOTING; MV PEOPLE VOTING (5 SHOTS) 2.12 7. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) VOX POP PORTUGUESE NATIONAL, JOSE ANTUNES SAYING "I hope the elections turn out well, and that people turn out to vote because this is the time for us to really do something." 2.21 9. MV SOCIALIST CANDIDATE EDUARDO FERRO RODRIGUES ARRIVING AT POLLING STATION WITH HIS WIFE FILOMENA; MV RODRIGUES CASTING HIS VOTE (4 SHOTS) 3.50 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 2nd April 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LISBON, PORTUGAL
- Country: Portugal
- Reuters ID: LVACOKVOKTNXFE8J6OGJ6441G9T2
- Story Text: Portuguese voters have gone to the polls in early
elections which are predicted to put the opposition Social
Democrats in government with pledges of an economic revival.
But a win threatens to be compromised without a majority in
parliament.
Social Democrat leader Jose Manuel Durao Barroso
joined Portuguese voters at the polls on Sunday (March 17).
Weeks of campaigning were dominated by the slowing economy
in Portugal, one of the EUs poorest countries, and its failure
to keep up with the rest of the 15-nation bloc despite
billions of euros in EU aid.
"I am sure that even in the bad weather we have today,
many Portuguese are coming to vote and (that) from my point of
view expresses a will for change," overcoat-clad Social
Democrat leader Jose Manuel Durao Barroso told Reuters
Television outside his Lisbon polling station.
Mindful of a legal blackout on on campaigning, leaders of
the two main parties declined to comment on whether they might
seek coalition partners after the elections, in which polls
predicted the Social Democrats would fail to win a majority.
Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, the head of the governing
Socialist Party, after voting with his wife at a Lisbon school
also urged Portuguese to turn out to vote.
The Socialists have been expected to lose control of the
government after Prime Minister Antonio Guterres resigned in
December because of a sweeping win by Social Democrats in
local elections.
The polls showed many Portuguese were still uneasy about
the two main parties. A survey in Publico newspaper said
almost 30 percent of voters were still undecided or would
abstain.
"I hope the elections turn out well, and that people turn
out to vote because this is the time for us to really do
something," said Lisbon resident Jose Antunes.
Polling stations opened at 0800 GMT and exit polls will be
run by main television stations as soon as the vote ends at
1900 GMT. Electoral officials did not have estimates of the
turnout.
A number of polls published on Friday indicated the
centre-right Social Democrats, headed by former foreign
minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, would finish ahead of the
Socialists.
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