LISBON, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's incumbent President Anibal Cavaco Silva won the country's presidential election in the first round of votes held on Sunday, according to preliminary results.

Local TV reported that Silva, a former economics professor and prime minister, won between 51.6 percent and 56 percent of the votes.

The results reflected pre-election polls predicting that Silva was set to get reelected in the first round.

Compared with the other five candidates, Silva was widely seen as being more capable of collaborating with the government in lifting the country out of its debt crisis.

In the 2006 presidential election, Silva won the first round with 50.5 percent of the vote.