PORTUGAL elected its conservative president to a second term yesterday, exit polls indicated, delivering a harsh political setback to the minority Socialist government, which is struggling to contain an acute economic crisis.

Portugal’s conservative president said he is reluctantly ratifying a law allowing gay marriage, making the predominantly Roman Catholic country the sixth in Europe to let same-sex couples wed.

Former conservative prime minister Anibal Cavaco Silva was sworn in as Portugal’s new president today, becoming the country’s first right-of-centre head of state in three decades.