LISBON, Portugal — Portugal is holding a general election, with the centre-left Socialist Party widely expected to collect most votes and stay in government for another four years.
The Socialists have overseen a strong economic recovery, with unemployment dropping by around half, to 6%, over its term. They have also started straightening out Portugal’s ill-managed public finances.
The main opposition Social Democrats party is still associated with the deep cutbacks and a three-year recession that ended in 2014, when the centre-right party was in power.
Recent opinion polls have indicated that the Socialists will fall short of a majority in parliament. That means they may have to negotiate alliances with smaller left-of-centre parties, as they did in their last term, to pass legislation.
Sunday’s ballot is open to around 10.8 million eligible voters.
The Associated Press
