Madrid, May 18, (dpa/GNA) – Polling stations opened across Portugal on Sunday as voters cast their ballots in the third snap election since 2022, with the conservatives expected to come out on top again despite being ousted by a recent no-confidence motion.

The vote was triggered after the conservative minority government was unexpectedly toppled in a no-confidence vote in March called by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro as he faced mounting pressure over controversial family business deals.

Polls suggest that Montenegro’s conservative Democratic Alliance (AD) is set to increase its share of the vote to as much as 34%, remaining the strongest party.

However, as in 2024, it is projected to fall well short of the 116 parliamentary seats required for an absolute majority.

The opposition Socialist Party (PS) is expected to suffer losses, while the far-right party Chega is predicted to maintain its result from last year at around 19%. The pro-business Liberal Initiative (IL) is likely to become the fourth-strongest force.

The last polling stations in the Azores, a Portuguese autonomous region comprised of an archipelago in the Atlantic, close at 9 pm (1900 GMT), with first projections expected shortly afterwards.

If the polls are accurate, Montenegro, who has ruled out cooperating with Chega, will likely have to form another minority government.

GNA

PDC