Exit poll expected at 8pm local time (20.00 GMT) in second snap general election in three years
We asked Marco Lisi, an associate professor at NOVA University Lisbon’s political science department, about the key things to watch in this election. “Several factors distinguish this election from the previous one. Firstly, the presence of new leaders, particularly within the two major parties , adds a fresh dynamic,” he said. Lisi also pointed to the impact of corruption scandals.
“Corruption, a key factor in the downfall of the previous government, has been a prominent issue in this campaign. This is probably one of the key factors that explain the increase of the far right’s score ,” he said. The issues in this campaign also differed from earlier elections, according to Lisi. “The primary concerns for Portuguese citizens during the campaigns were public services , welfare reforms and inflation.