The opposition, the centre-right Democratic Alliance, won a electoral bloc in Portugal's unitary parliament on Sunday, a poll showed. Another result was won by the Socialist Party, which has been in power for almost a decade. A third force is the far-right Sega party, which has been accused of racism and xenophobia.
Early elections were held in Portugal on Sunday for a unicameral parliament known as the Legislative Assembly. It has 230 representatives.
The opposition Democratic Alliance (AD) won the electoral bloc in Sunday's vote, according to a poll conducted by the Portuguese Catholic University. The center-right coalition led by Luis Montenegro won 29-33 percent. Support. It consists of Social Democrats (PSD), Christian Democrats (CDS-PP) and Monarchists (PPM).
The Portuguese are watching on election nightPAP/EPA/MANUEL DE ALMEIDA
In second place is the center-left Socialist Party (PS), which has governed Portugal since 2015 with 25-29 percent support.
According to exit polls, the far-right Sega party took third place in the election, with 14-17 percent of the vote. Election participants. The party, led by former football and political commentator Andre Ventura, is based around debates on corruption and immigration.
Andre Ventura, president of the Portuguese Sega partyPAP/EPA/MIGUEL A. Lopes
Political alliances
Experts believe that the victorious Democratic Alliance may have difficulty in building a majority in Parliament. However, he will have to try to form a government coalition with the centre-right Liberal Initiative (IL), which is in fourth place with 5-7 percent support.
Luis Montenegro, President of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).PAP/EPA/Jose Coelho
Montenegro's pre-election announcements indicated that he would not try to form a government in cooperation with Sega – despite the fact that many of the group's leaders are former politicians from the Social Democratic Party he leads.
Commentators point to personal animosities between Montenegro and Sega's president, Andre Ventura, that could complicate alliance negotiations. Montenegro continues to exclude the possibility of cooperation with this group, calling it “racism” or “racism”.
According to exit polls, Sunday's elections ended in defeat not only for the Socialists, but also for other left-wing groups, including radical parties such as the Left Block, the Communists and the Greens. In total, they can introduce only a dozen or so representatives to Parliament.
Resignation of Prime Minister and early election
Early elections were announced by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa after Prime Minister Antonio Costa resigned in November. The then leader of the Socialist Party resigned shortly after the prosecutor's office put him on trial for abuse of power and corruption.
In the referendum, the districts of Lisbon and Porto will receive the most seats for the Assembly of the Republic, with 48 and 40 respectively.
Antonio CostaPAP/EPA/CARLOS M. Almeida
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/Jose Coelho