Over 333,000 Portuguese voters have registered to vote early this Sunday, marking the highest number since early voting — also known as mobile voting — was introduced, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
This surge in participation comes ahead of the country’s legislative elections scheduled for May 18.
Mobile voting enables citizens to cast their ballots ahead of election day at a polling station of their choice, provided they indicated their preferred location during registration. In 2024, early and overseas voting saw participation from around 208,000 individuals, including President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who is again expected to vote early this Sunday.
Roughly 10 million Portuguese citizens, both domestically and abroad, are eligible to vote in these elections. The vote was triggered by the collapse of the centre-right minority government led by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro. In March, Montenegro’s government lost a confidence vote in parliament, following controversy involving a company owned by his family, Spinumviva, which raised concerns over conflict-of-interest rules.
As a result, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa dissolved the governing coalition, prompting these early elections. With the campaign entering its final stretch, a total of 21 parties and coalitions are contesting the vote.
A recent Consulmark2 poll conducted for Nascer do SOL and Euronews between April 14 and 22 suggests that Montenegro’s AD (PSD/CDS) coalition is leading with 34.1% of voter intentions. The Socialist Party, under Pedro Nuno Santos, follows with 27.1%, while the right-wing populist Chega party remains third with 15.2%. The Liberal Initiative is polling at 8.3%.
