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OVIEDO, Spain

Portugal’s center-right Democratic Alliance (AD) won the most seats but fell short of a majority in Sunday’s general election as the far-right Chega party nearly overtook the Socialist Party for second place.

Incumbent Luis Montenegro is expected to remain Portugal’s prime minister, but a surge in support for Chega dashed his ambitions of securing a stronger mandate.

Sunday’s vote was the country’s third general election since 2022, highlighting ongoing political volatility.

While the result signals continuity in leadership, it also marks a sharp shift in Portugal’s political dynamics.

With 99.13% of the votes counted, the Socialist Party held a two-seat lead over Chega, preserving its status as the main opposition party by only a slim margin. With 98% of the votes counted, they were tied.

Votes from abroad still need to be counted, with around 17 seats still up in the air, so it is possible that the final results could see a change in the total seat count.

It was a bruising result for the Socialists, who won 28% of the vote in 2024 compared to Chega’s 18%. In 2022, Chega only won 7% of the vote.

This time around, with 99.13% of the vote counted, the Socialists and Chega both won around 23% of the popular vote.

Led by former football pundit Andre Ventura, Chega campaigned on hardline anti-immigration policies and an aggressive anti-corruption message.

The snap election was triggered by ethical concerns related to the business dealings of Montenegro’s family.

Chega’s gains were fueled by victories in traditionally left-leaning areas in southern Portugal, while the AD retained control over conservative strongholds in the country’s center and north.

The Socialists are expected to back the conservative alliance to keep the far-right out of government, as they did after the 2024 results.

Even so, Chega politicians celebrated the result.

“Chega killed bipartisanship in Portugal today," said Ventura.