Portuguese vote

Centre-rightist Anibal Cavaco Silva finished first in Portugal's presidential election yesterday but it was too early to tell if he had won a first-round victory, television exit polls and initial results showed. Former Prime Minister Cavaco Silva had...

Centre-rightist Anibal Cavaco Silva finished first in Portugal's presidential election yesterday but it was too early to tell if he had won a first-round victory, television exit polls and initial results showed.

Former Prime Minister Cavaco Silva had been ahead in the campaign for the non-executive office since the start, with pledges to tackle a stagnant economy and unemployment at an 18-year high in western Europe's poorest country.

A win for Mr Cavaco Silva would be a blow to the Socialist government of Prime Minister Jose Socrates.

An exit poll carried by the SIC television channel showed Mr Cavaco Silva had won between 50.4 per cent and 54.6 per cent of the vote. In second place was Manuel Alegre, a left-wing maverick, with between 17.7 per cent and 21.5 per cent.

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