Third general election in three years likely to yield another minority government as voters grapple with corruption, housing crisis, and shifting party loyalties.
Portuguese voters headed to the polls on Sunday, for their third general election in three years, amid ongoing political instability and a fractured political landscape that has made it difficult to form a stable government capable of addressing critical issues like immigration, housing, and rising living costs.
According to PTI, Although there are hopes that the vote could restore political stability in the country of 10.6 million, early projections suggest another minority government is likely바카라leaving Portugal potentially stuck in a familiar cycle of gridlock.
For the past five decades, power in Portugal has alternated between the centre-left Socialist Party and the centre-right Social Democrats. That dominance is expected to continue, but growing public disillusionment with both parties has allowed smaller, emerging parties to erode their parliamentary majorities.
According to the Hindu, centre-right coalition, the Democratic Alliance바카라comprising the Social Democrats and the smaller Popular Party바카라is currently seen as having a narrow lead in opinion polls over the Socialists. However, the alliance is still projected to fall short of the 116 seats needed to command a majority in the 230-member National Assembly.
This snap election was triggered after the Democratic Alliance government, led by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, lost a parliamentary confidence vote in March바카라barely a year after taking office. The vote followed allegations of conflict of interest linked to Montenegro바카라s family-run law firm, though he has denied any misconduct and is seeking reelection.
Widespread public frustration over corruption has also fueled the rise of Chega (Enough), a far-right populist party led by André Ventura, which campaigned heavily on a law-and-order platform. Chega surged to third place in the last election, going from 12 to 50 seats, but it has been marred by scandals of its own. One of its MPs allegedly stole suitcases at Lisbon airport to resell their contents, while another is accused of forging a deceased person바카라s signature바카라both have since resigned.
Socialist leader and prime ministerial candidate Pedro Nuno Santos, according to PTI, condemned the timing, calling it a 바카라Trumpification바카라 of Portugal바카라s politics.
The housing crisis is another major concern. Home prices have been climbing for a decade, fueled in part by affluent foreign workers driving up demand. Last year alone, prices rose 9%, according to the National Statistics Institute. Rent in Lisbon and surrounding areas jumped over 7%바카라the sharpest increase in three decades.
The World population review ranks Portugal is among the poorest countries in Western Europe, many citizens are being priced out of their hometowns. Last year바카라s average monthly salary was around €1,200 ($1,340) before tax, while the minimum wage stands at €870 ($974) a month.
According to PTI, Voting began at 8 a.m. local time and will end at 8 p.m., with exit polls expected immediately afterward. Most official results are anticipated by midnight.