MADRID, March 10. /TASS/. Portugal’s center-right Democratic Alliance led by the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Luis Montenegro, is leading in the country’s snap parliamentary election, with more than 90% of ballots counted, the Ministry of Internal Administration said.

According to the ministry, the coalition scored 30% of votes followed by the Socialist Party with 28.7% and the far-right CHEGA (Enough) party with 19%.

The polls were initially scheduled to be held in 2026 but in November 2023, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced plans to dissolve the parliament and call early elections after Socialist Antonio Costa, who had been Prime Minister since 2015, resigned amid a probe into possible corruption involving lithium and hydrogen projects.

Ahead of the election, opinion polls showed that the Democratic Alliance may count on a slightly bigger support than the Socialist Party and a growing backing for the far-right party. However, it is not ruled out that not a single political party will garner the absolute majority of seats in parliament to smoothly form a government.