Portugal's ruling Socialist Party wins snap parliamentary election

Portugal's Socialist Party (PS) led by Prime Minister Antonio Costa won a clear majority in Sunday's snap parliamentary election, garnering 41.63 percent of the votes, the national electoral commission announced in the evening after counting 99.94 percent of the ballots, News.Az reports citing Xinhua.

Before the final results came in, Costa said the party had won 117 or 118 seats in the 230-seat parliament, up from 108 won in the 2019 election.

"An absolute majority doesn't mean absolute power. It doesn't mean to govern alone. It's increased responsibility and it means to govern with and for all Portuguese," Costa said in his victory speech.

Recalling his past six-year term and leadership in the anti-pandemic fight, Costa said, "I must interpret this victory as a vote of confidence, as a huge personal responsibility, to promote the necessary consensus" in parliament, to "protect the independence of the judiciary" and "cooperate loyally with all institutions."

The leading opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD) finished second with under 28 percent of votes. PSD President Rui Rio said the result was "substantially below expectations" and conveyed congratulations to Costa.

News.Az