Revealed: The Staggering Costs of Portugal's Election Campaigns - Who Spends the Most?

As the legislative elections on May 18 approach, the financial aspect of the campaigns comes into sharp focus. With over 10.8 million voters in Portugal and abroad, the stakes are high, and so are the costs.

How Campaigns Are Funded

Campaign financing is a mix of state subsidies and party contributions, including fundraising efforts. Only parties that elect at least one deputy or secure 50,000 votes are eligible for state subsidies.

Election Snapshot

• Total voters: 10,850,215
• Overseas voters: 1,578,890 (Europe: 947,217; Outside Europe: 631,673)
• Deputies to elect: 230
• Electoral circles: 22

Largest electoral circles:

• Lisbon: 1,913,096 voters – 48 deputies
• Porto: 1,591,445 voters – 40 deputies
• Braga: 782,401 voters – 19 deputies

Smallest electoral circles:

• Portalegre: 92,543 voters – 2 deputies
• Beja: 118,328 voters – 3 deputies

Campaign Budgets Unveiled

Here's what the major parties are spending:

• AD (PSD/CDS coalition): €2,550,000
• PS: €2,250,000
• Chega: €1,600,000
• IL: €575,000
• CDU: €595,000

The total cost of the elections is estimated at €26.5 million.