The Portuguese centre of rule, the Right Democrat Union (AD) is poised to win the most votes in early parliamentary elections, but the exit polls have a total majority.
Sunday’s election was called just one year in the minority government’s term after Prime Minister Louis Montenegro did not win Congressional votes in March.
Montenegro has denied fraud, with most opinions indicating that voters have rejected criticism from the opposition.
And elections dominated by issues such as housing and immigration, followed by a decade-long, vulnerable government. And the only of these governments with a majority in Parliament fell apart midway through last year’s term.
An exit poll issued by three major television channels (SIC, RTP and TVI) found that Montenegro ads received the largest share, receiving 29% to 35.1% of votes, but they also won a majority in Congress, similar to what happened in the previous election in March 2024.
Outside the polling station where Montenegro voted in the northern Espiño Street, 77-year-old Irene Medeiros told Reuters that “the best candidate has to win,” but she feared more uncertainty.
According to exit polls, Montenegro’s main rival, the Socialist Party (PS), on the Centre left, has won between 19.4% and 26% of the vote, almost tied to a share of the far-right Chega Party of 19.5% to 25.5%, surpassing the 18% that won in 2024.
That tally allowed the DA to win between 85 and 96 seats, except for the 116 shortfall required by a majority in Portugal’s 230-seat parliament. They could form minority governments or form partnerships with small parties to win a majority.
Most official results are expected by midnight (23:00 GMT).
Over the past half century, two political parties have dominated Portuguese politics, with the Social Democrats and PS, leading the DA, alternate between power.
Public dissatisfaction with government records has fueled the search and growth of new alternatives in recent years.
“The campaign was very weak and there were some ridiculous moments like Clownish. There was little talk about Portugal within the European Union. We don’t seem to be part of it,” the 63-year-old teacher Isabel Monteiro added to the Associated Press in Lisbon that she felt “disillusioned” with all the political parties.
Political scientist Antonio Costa Pinto said the new parliament is likely to be similar to the last, and it was impossible to predict how long the government would last.
“The only doubt is whether advertising will form a new minority government, or whether this coalition will form a post-element coalition with IL, even if it does not guarantee an absolute majority,” Reuters said, referring to the Pro-Business Liberal Initiative (IL) party.
Shortly after casting his vote, Montenegro told reporters he was confident that stability would be achieved.
“There’s a search for a stable solution, but it depends now [people’s] The choices,” he said.
Portugal’s second consecutive minority government hopes to end the worst political instability in decades of the European Union’s 10.6 million people.
For the past 50 years, two political parties have dominated politics, along with the Social Democrats who lead the DA and the Social Democrats who alternate in power.
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