Portugal is once again heading to the polls — this will be the country’s third national election in the past three years. The vote comes amid escalating political tensions and growing public dissatisfaction that continue to challenge the stability of the country’s democracy.
The election was called after the minority government led by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, from the center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD), lost a vote of confidence in parliament. The decision followed allegations of a conflict of interest involving Montenegro’s family law firm. The scandal has become one of the most serious episodes of political turmoil in modern Portuguese history.
With a population of around 10.6 million, Portugal has in recent years been governed by unstable coalitions. The two main parties — the PSD and the center-left Socialist Party (PS) — have been losing support to smaller and more radical political forces.
The vote comes at a critical time, as Portugal is beginning to implement an investment program worth over €22 billion through EU development funds, further underscoring the need for political clarity. However, widespread voter frustration with the traditional parties may benefit the far-right populist party Chega (“Enough”), which already secured third place in last year’s election.
Chega’s rise is part of a broader European trend of growing populism, resonating with voters disillusioned by political deadlock.
Montenegro has denied any involvement in managing his family’s law firm, stating he transferred control to his wife and children when he became PSD leader in 2022. Nevertheless, the Socialist Party has called for a parliamentary investigation into the matter.
The Social Democrats are hoping to maintain public support by highlighting strong economic indicators: GDP growth reached 1.9% last year (compared to the EU average of 0.8%), and unemployment stood at 6.4% — close to the European average.
