Portugal is holding early parliamentary elections on Sunday, with voters set to elect 230 lawmakers to the National Assembly.

Leaders of Portugal's political parties have wrapped up a two-week campaign for the tight election, which could end eight years of Socialist rule.

The election was called after Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa resigned in November following an investigation into alleged illegalities in how his government handled major investments.

The scandal included a police search of Costa's official residence and the arrest of his chief of staff. Costa has not been charged.

What do the polls say?

Two moderate parties, the center-left Socialist Party (PS) and the center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD), have alternated in power in Portugal for decades. They are expected to win the most votes again.

The ruling PS of Pedro Nuno Santos won an absolute majority with over 41% of the vote in the last election in January 2022. However, the latest polls show the ruling party in a virtual tie with the opposition center-right Democratic Alliance (AD), led by PSD leader Luis Montenegro.

According to a poll published Friday by the weekly Expresso, the AD has 31% of the vote, just ahead of the PS, which has 30%.

Under Socialist leadership, Portugal's economy has had solid growth rates of over 2% per year, except during the pandemic-induced slump in 2020.

However, Portugal is still one of the poorest countries in Western Europe, with many people struggling to make ends meet due to low wages and a housing crisis.

Support for far-right party soars

But it is a 5-year-old far-right populist party called Chega, or "Enough," which feeds on disillusionment with the mainstream parties, that has gained the most from the campaign.

The party of ex-sports reporter Andre Ventura, who is particularly popular with young voters, could enter parliament as the third-largest force with 17% of the vote, according to polls. Chega won 7.2 in the last election in 2022.

Although Ventura appears to have no chance of becoming prime minister, he may play a decisive role in coalition talks after the election. The Chega leader is known for his anti-immigration rhetoric and promises to replace the traditional parties, root out corruption and reduce the tax burden.

Chega is the first far-right party to win representation in the Portuguese parliament since a military coup in 1974 overthrew decades of right-wing dictatorship.

dh/rc (AP, AFP, Reuters)