Portugal's minority government failed a confidence vote in parliament on Tuesday, leading to its resignation and the European Union country's third general election in three years.
The final results of the vote have not yet been released, but parliament speaker José Pedro Aguiar-Branco said the centre-right government had lost support.
The government, a two-party coalition led by the Social Democratic Party and in power for less than a year, has won only 80 of the 230 seats in the current legislature.
The vast majority of opposition members of parliament have promised to vote against.
The government launched the confidence vote, stressing that it was necessary to “resolve uncertainty” about its future amid a deepening political crisis centered around Social Democrat Prime Minister Luis Montenegro that has distracted attention from cabinet policy.
The dispute arose over potential conflicts of interest in the business dealings of a law firm associated with Mr Montenegro.
New elections are expected to be held in May. Portugal's next general election is scheduled for January 2028.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
