The election chose the successor to the President Aníbal Cavaco Silva, who was constitutionally not allowed to run for a third consecutive term.

The Socialist Party (PS), for the first time in a Presidential election, didn't officially supported no candidate, with party members dividing their support for either António Sampaio da Nóvoa or Maria de Belém.

However, the president does have some political influence and can dissolve the Parliament of Portugal if a crisis occurs.

[2][4] On 29 December 2015 the Constitutional Court certified a record ten candidates as having met the requirements to appear on the ballot.

[2] There were several number of debates between all the candidates in the three TV networks RTP, SIC, TVI.