After the final results of Portugal’s recently concluded national elections, PSD party leader Luis Montenegro has been appointed as prime minister.
The country’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa made the decision after listening to the statements of the three parties with the most parliamentary representation.
On May 18, Portugal held mid-term national elections. While Luis Montenegro was prime minister, he was accused of taking advantage of family businesses.
After these allegations arose, he presented a motion of confidence in the government in the then National Assembly and when the majority of the parties in the parliament expressed no confidence in the government, the parliament was dissolved and presidential elections were called.
The number of seats in the National Assembly of Portugal is 230, 116 is needed to form a government on its own, but based on the results of 226 seats, no party won 116 seats on its own.
The current ruling coalition, the AD coalition, won 89 seats, the pro-immigration PS 58 and the hard-right Sega 58. The remaining 21 seats were won by left-wing and independent parties. Results for four seats are yet to be announced.
The AD will likely need to make deals with smaller parties to secure a majority of at least 116 seats in Portugal’s 230-seat parliament.
The ruling Socialist Party won 108 seats in the 2019 election. And in 2024, no one was able to form a government on their own, so they formed a coalition. Source: Euro News