Portuguese citizens are voting on Sunday in a closely watched parliamentary election that could determine the future of centre-right Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, as the country heads to the polls for the third time since 2022.
The snap election, called following Montenegro’s resignation in March amid allegations of conflict of interest, could consolidate his Democratic Alliance (AD) as the leading political force — though polls suggest a coalition may still be needed to govern.
Montenegro, 52, a lawyer by profession, was at the centre of the campaign after stepping down in response to scrutiny over ties between his former consultancy and government affairs. “No one has ever been more transparent than I am,” he said at a final rally, rejecting criticism from Socialist Party (PS) leader Pedro Nuno Santos, who accused him of mixing politics with private business interests.
Despite the controversy, political analysts say voters have shown relative indifference to the scandal. “This issue clearly hasn’t had the impact the opposition hoped for,” said Filipa Raimundo, a political scientist at Lisbon’s ISCTE University Institute.
According to the latest polls, the centre-right AD leads with 34% support, ahead of the PS at 26%. The far-right Chega party is projected to receive 19% of the vote, reinforcing its status as the country’s third-largest political force. Chega has steadily increased its support since the March 2024 election.
While AD is forecast to win up to 95 of the 230 parliamentary seats, it falls short of the 116 needed for an outright majority. Montenegro has ruled out forming a government with Chega’s backing and instead hopes to reach a deal with the pro-market Liberal Initiative, which polls at 7%.
Polling stations opened at 08:00 local time (10:00 Cyprus time) and will close at 20:00 (23:00 Cyprus time), with results expected to shape the direction of Portugal’s governance amid lingering economic and social challenges.
