President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has called for snap elections in Portugal on May 18, following a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Luís Montenegro. This marks the third legislative election in just over a year, with Montenegro facing Pedro Nuno Santos of the Socialist Party amid accusations of conflict of interest.
On Thursday, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced that he will dissolve the country’s parliament on March 19 and call for snap national elections scheduled for May 18. This decision follows a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, who is accused by opposition parties of violating conflict of interest rules due to his ties with Spinumviva, a family-owned data protection firm.
These upcoming snap elections mark the third in Portugal since 2023 and occur merely 14 months after the last electoral event. Given the short timeframe between elections, the political landscape in Portugal appears largely unchanged. Montenegro is set to be the candidate for the center-right Democratic Alliance, while he will compete against Pedro Nuno Santos, the leader of the Socialist Party.
The announcement of the snap elections by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa highlights the ongoing political challenges within Portugal, particularly concerning issues of conflict of interest. The upcoming elections will provide voters with an opportunity to reassess their political leadership in light of recent controversies, as both Montenegro and Santos prepare to contest for governance within a context marked by minimal political change since the last elections.
Original Source: www.politico.eu
