Portugal’s center-right government, led by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, has fallen after losing a confidence vote in parliament on Tuesday evening, potentially triggering the country’s third general election in as many years, Al Jazeera reports.
The motion of confidence, which Montenegro presented after opposition parties questioned the integrity of his dealings related to a consultancy firm he founded, was defeated by a vote of 142-88, with no abstentions. “The government tried everything right up to the last minute to avoid snap elections,” Montenegro told reporters after the vote.
The controversy stems from allegations reported by Portuguese media that the consultancy firm, now run by Montenegro’s sons, held contracts with several private companies that rely on government contracts. Montenegro has consistently denied any wrongdoing, having previously survived two censure votes.
Pedro Nuno Santos, leader of the Socialist Party, the country’s largest opposition party, condemned the government’s conduct as “shameful,” accusing them of resorting to “manoeuvres, games, tricks” to survive.
Montenegro ascended to the premiership after Socialist Antonio Costa resigned in November 2023 amidst a corruption probe. Costa, who denies accusations of influence peddling, was subsequently elected head of the EU’s European Council in June 2024.
With the government now relegated to a caretaker role, the decision on whether to call a parliamentary election rests with Portugal’s President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. He is scheduled to consult with the main political parties on Wednesday, followed by his advisory Council of State on Thursday. De Sousa has indicated a new election could be held in mid-May.
Montenegro’s center-right Democratic Alliance (AD) coalition won elections in March 2024, but only secured 80 seats in the 230-seat legislature. The Socialist Party, previously in power, won 78 seats. Notably, the hard-right Chega party made significant gains, securing 50 seats, a more than fourfold increase from the 12 seats it held previously.
Montenegro had previously ruled out forming a government with Chega, which has gained traction campaigning on an anti-immigration platform, stating “no means no.”
The no-confidence vote marks a period of severe political instability, unseen since Portugal transitioned to a democratic system over 50 years ago after the 1974 Carnation Revolution.
