The European elections typically see the lowest turnout among citizens in Portugal
In the 2019 European elections, Portugal recorded its highest abstention rate of 68.6 percent since joining the European Union, contrasting sharply with the approximately 50 percent turnout across Europe.
Political dissatisfaction, as revealed in a survey released by the European Parliament at the time, was the main reason given for Portugal’s record abstention rate of 68.6 percent in the European elections in May 2019.
However, there is optimism for a potential decrease in abstention during the 9 June elections, mirroring the trend seen in the recent legislative elections on 10 March, which boasted a turnout of 59.84 percent.
Less than half of Portuguese citizens can name either a Portuguese MEP or the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, according to a study by Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation’s European Policy Barometer, indicating a lack of knowledge about the European Union as another reason for abstaining from voting.
In the run-up to the European elections, Portuguese young people, along with Romanians, stand out among the 27 member states in terms of voting intentions. Eurobarometer on Youth and Democracy estimates 77 percent of Portuguese individuals aged 18 to 30 plan to vote to elect the 21 Portuguese MEPs in the European Parliament.
