The centre-right Democratic Alliance (DA) received 28,67% of the votes after 99% had been counted. This is almost three times the votes they got in last election, but it still is just barely above the centre-left Socialists.

However, early on March 10, leader and Prime Minister candidate for the Socialists Pedro Nuno Santos declared that his party did not win the election and will lead the opposition.

With a small difference in votes between the center-right and the center-left, the far right Chega holding 18% of the votes could get in position. The Chega party have been compared with Trump, Brazilian Bolsonaro and French LePen.

Prime minister candidate Luis Montenegro from the centre-right DA has declared victory in the election. At the same time, he refuses to give any role to the far-right Chega. A question for the future is, however, if a new minority government will be able to govern without seeking some kind of support from a party that got 18% of the votes.

A complicated balance of power might create unstability. Portugal has had several minority governments since right-wing dictatorship ended in 1974. After the March 2024 election, the country might see more polarisation and political conflicts.

Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/10/portugal-election-centre-right-coalition-on-course-for-narrow-victory?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/portuguese-head-polls-right-left-seen-almost-evenly-matched-2024-03-10/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/10/portugal-election-2024-results/

More on Portugal and the region:

Portugal in the Twenty-First Century: Politics, Society, and Economics

Intelligence in Democratic Transitions: A Comparative Analysis of Portugal, Greece, and Spain

The Portuguese: A Portrait of a People

A People's History of the Portuguese Revolution

Salazar: The Dictator Who Refused to Die