BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 18. Snap parliamentary elections began in Portugal on Sunday — the third vote in just two years — amid ongoing political instability, Trend reports.
Polling stations opened at 08:00 local time and will remain open until 20:00. Preliminary exit poll data is expected immediately after polls close, with official results anticipated by midnight.
According to recent opinion polls, no single party is expected to secure an outright majority in parliament. The centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD), together with its ally, the Democratic and Social Centre–People's Party (CDS–PP), is currently in the lead. However, projections suggest the alliance will fall short of the 116 seats required for a one-party majority, with the opposition Socialist Party close behind.
Analysts note growing public support for emerging political forces amid ongoing governance crises and corruption scandals. In particular, the far-right Chega (Enough!) party has seen a notable surge in popularity due to its hardline stance on migration. In the previous elections, Chega won 50 seats and came in third.
The early elections were triggered by a vote of no confidence in the government of then-Prime Minister and PSD leader Luís Montenegro in March. Accused of a conflict of interest — a charge he denied — Montenegro resigned but is now seeking to return to power through the ballot box.