In the parish of Ervedosa do Douro (São João da Pesqueira, Viseu district), there were 34 null votes and 13 blank votes recorded, representing percentages of 7.07% null and 2.70% blank. These figures are notably higher than those in the 2024 legislative elections, where blank votes comprised 0.1% (only one vote) and null votes 1.33% (seven votes).
Voter abstention also increased, with the turnout this year standing at 46.70% (481 out of 1,030 registered voters), lower than the 51.62% (527 out of 1,021 registered voters) observed during the 2024 legislative elections.
“I think the best result was the abstention, which was around 60%, because I also advocated for non-voting,” said Manuel Covas, vice-president of the Lutar pelo Douro association. On Friday, Covas had called for blank and null votes as a means of highlighting the issues faced by winemakers, stating that “the Douro Demarcated Region is in a deep catharsis and the politicians have no solution.”
Covas attributed the relatively high number of blank or null votes in his parish to the “revolt” felt by Douro inhabitants, especially “the small and medium-sized winemakers.”
After distributing leaflets in other parts of the São João da Pesqueira municipality, the overall results were 1.90% blank votes (68 votes) and 2.68% null votes (96), with null votes exceeding 3% in four of the 11 parishes.
However, the remaining municipalities in the region did not exhibit the same percentage of blank or null votes, with municipalities along the Douro River recording values below 1.5%, aligning with national figures and those from the previous year.
On Friday, Covas emphasized that “if there are many null or blank votes, it truly signals something, that everything is wrong for us, that the people are outraged” with the situation regarding winemaking in the region.
More than 150 Douro winemakers have received notices canceling grape orders for this year, generating fear and indignation.
“The catastrophe we predicted during the last campaign is beginning, as last year it was near harvest time when grape-purchasing houses said they did not want to buy grapes. This year, we are in April, and the situation is already looking grim,” said Marinete Alves on April 17, a member of the Regional Council of the Casa do Douro.
The National Agriculture Confederation (CNA) and its affiliate Avadouriense – Association of Douro Winemakers and Family Agriculture, have called for a plenary session of Douro winemakers on June 1 in Peso da Régua.
On May 2, the Casa do Douro demanded “fundamental” measures to tackle the viticulture crisis, such as incorporating regional brandy into Port wine, crisis distillation, green harvesting, and suspending the VITIS program.
The AD – PSD/CDS-PP coalition won the legislative elections on Sunday, gaining 89 deputies, including the three elected by the AD coalition with the PPM in the Azores, while PS and Chega tied in the number of parliamentary seats, with 58 each.
The Liberal Initiative remains the fourth political force, with an additional deputy (nine) compared to 2024, and the third position belongs to Livre, which increased from four to six elected members.
The CDU lost one representative, remaining with three members, while the Left Bloc is reduced to one representative, and PAN maintained one deputy.
The JPP from Madeira succeeded in electing one deputy.
These results do not yet include the votes of overseas residents, whose participation and choices will be announced on May 28.
