Suspicion of corruption

Portugal: Government is stripped of confidence

Luis Montenegro is happy to accept new elections.

(Bild: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP)

Portugal's conservative minority government has fallen after just under a year in office. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro is accused of corruption. He clearly lost a vote of confidence in parliament in Lisbon. 

On Tuesday evening, parliament rejected the corresponding bill by 142 votes to 88. It had been tabled by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro on Thursday. The opposition had previously questioned his integrity due to the business activities of a consultancy firm he founded, which is now run by his sons. The center-right minority government will remain in office for the transition.

If new elections are held, it would be the third vote in just over three years. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will decide on new elections. However, talks are likely to take place in the coming days.

De Sousa has stated that an election could take place in mid-May. Experts believe that an early vote is almost inevitable. However, they do not assume that there would be a clear mandate to govern. Political scientist Adelino Maltez from the University of Lisbon referred to opinion polls that showed little change compared to the election in March 2024.

What is Montenegro accused of?
The opposition accuses Montenegro of taking advantage. The consulting and real estate company Spinumviva, founded by the trained lawyer in 2021, is said to have benefited from the prime minister's position in order to sign contracts with private companies. The head of government denies any irregularities. The company now only belongs to his sons. However, he did not disclose any information about the company's clients.

Montenegro survived two votes of no confidence during the affair. However, as the opposition did not want to give up their plans for a commission of inquiry, he called a vote of confidence. The new election was a "necessary evil". "Two months of instability are better than one and a half years of slow disintegration," emphasized the outgoing head of government.

According to observers, Montenegro is accepting the possibility of a new election because he wanted to avoid a grueling investigation at all costs - and because, according to polls, his AD alliance can hope for a victory with a better result than in March 2024. The ousted politician has already announced that he intends to run again despite the accusations.