LISBON, January 25, 2021, (TON): Incumbent Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has won a second term as Portugal’s president.

With 98.87 per cent of the ballots counted, Rebelo de Sousa, who has been in office since March 2016, won by garnering 61.3 per cent of the votes.

According to the official data, Portugal's presidential election resulted in an abstention rate of 61.46 percent. Elections were held with lockdown measures in place under the state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, former member of European Parliament (MEP) Ana Gomes came came second with 12.54 per cent of the votes, ahead of right-wing party Chega candidate Andre Ventura, who came third with 11.89 per cent of the ballots, the results showed.

The re-elected president in his victory speech said he knows that the Portuguese people "don't want an endless pandemic, a crisis with no end in sight," but that "they want the pandemic to be under control as soon as possible, a job recovery, and to get out of this almost frozen year of life torn to a horizon of hope."

"The Portuguese, by reinforcing their vote and renewing their confidence, want more convergence, stability, building bridges, demanding social justice and, more urgently, the management of the pandemic. From that sign, I will learn some lessons," he added.

Presidents another five-year term will start on March 9, 2021.

Portugal has 10.8 million registered voters, around 1.5 million of them living abroad.