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Bloomberg
As populism tested the ability of Europe’s mainstream parties to adapt, one country stood out as an exception: Portugal. General elections on Sunday are likely to cement its status as an oasis for the political center.
Yet it’s not without risks. Prime Minister Antonio Costa of the center-left Socialist Party has only a slight edge in some polls over the center-right party PSD led by Rui Rio.
That means that while Costa may win, he will likely fall short of an absolute majority and may need backing from his usual allies on the left to get budgets approved. If Rio creates alliances that enable him to secure an absolute majority, then he could try to form a coalition government.
Toss in the possibility that André Ventura’s far-right Chega emerges as the third-largest party in parliament, and that could increase the difficulty of forming a coalition on the right.
Costa, 60, has held office since 2015. His second term was cut short in October after lawmakers rejected his minority government’s 2022 budget, saying he hadn’t met their demands on a range of issues, including a higher minimum wage.