Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced on Thursday that he will dissolve the country’s parliament on 19 March and call for snap national elections to be held on 18 May.
The decision comes in the wake of a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, who has been accused of violating conflict of interest rules due to his ties to Spinumviva, a data protection firm owned by his family.
The no-confidence vote, held on Tuesday, has plunged Portugal into political uncertainty, marking the third snap election since 2023. The upcoming vote comes just 14 months after the previous election, leaving the political landscape largely unchanged. Prime Minister Montenegro, leader of the Democratic Alliance, will once again face off against Pedro Nuno Santos, head of the Socialist Party, in a highly competitive race.
Recent polls suggest that the Democratic Alliance is narrowly ahead of the Socialist Party, with both parties locked in a tight race. Meanwhile, support for the Chega party has dipped slightly but remains strong enough to position it as the third-largest force in parliament. This could make Chega a potential kingmaker in forming a coalition government after the elections.
Meanwhile, the snap elections add to an already crowded electoral calendar, raising concerns about voter fatigue. Regional elections in the autonomous region of Madeira are scheduled for later this month, followed by nationwide local elections in the fall. Voters will then return to the polls in January 2025 to elect a new president, as Rebelo de Sousa’s term comes to an end.
