Former PM wins Portugal presidency, vows cooperation
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-23 09:45

Anibal Cavaco Silva, a centre-right candidate, won Portugal's presidential election on Sunday in a blow to the ruling Socialist Party already under pressure because of a stagnant economy.

Cavaco Silva, a former prime minister vowing to tackle economic woes in western Europe's poorest country, had 50.59 percent of the vote with all but a handful of polling stations reporting, the election commission reported.

Leftist maverick Manuel Alegre had 20.72 percent of the vote and 81-year-old Mario Soares, the Socialists' candidate, had 14.34 percent.

"I want to be and will be the president of all the Portuguese," Cavaco Silva told supporters, emphasising he wanted to work with the Socialist government.

"I know by my own experience the value of cooperation among government bodies, especially in terms of cooperation with the government."

Socrates, who is struggling to make the economy more competitive and trim joblessness at an 18-year high, also pledged to work with Cavaco Silva, a Social Democrat.

He said his government's performance had not been at stake in the vote and Portugal would now enjoy political stability, with no elections scheduled for 3-1/2 years.

Cavaco Silva, 66, had led the campaign for the non-executive office from the start on pledges to improve the economy, which has lagged European Union growth for years.

His victory was another setback for Socrates, who was elected last year. His Socialists lost heavily in city elections in October after he imposed austerity measures and tax hikes to try to close the widest budget deficit in the euro zone.

Cavaco Silva's total put him above the 50 percent mark needed to avoid a run-off. Three leftist candidates rounded out the polling.