Portugal begins early voting in snap general election

LISBON - Early voting began in Portugal on Sunday for a snap general election, with polls showing the incumbent Socialists still ahead though with their lead over the nearest center-right rivals narrowing.

Over 300,000 voters have signed up to vote a week early, with polls opening at 8:00 am (0800 GMT).

The early voting option was provided this year to reduce crowding on election day, next Sunday, due to the pandemic.

Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who has led two consecutive minority Socialist governments since 2015, was expected to cast his ballot in the northern city of Porto at around 0930 GMT.

The snap polls were called after he failed to secure support for his 2022 budget from the two smaller far-left parties that had been propping up his government.

It was the first time a budget was voted down since the EU member returned to democracy in 1974.

The Socialists have around 38 percent support, compared with just over 30 percent for the main opposition center-right PSD, which would leave Costa once again without a working majority in parliament, according to a poll of polls compiled by Radio Renascenca.

But surveys carried out in recent days have shown the gap narrowing, with at least one putting the two parties in a statistical tie when the margin of error is taken into account.

The election could see gains for the upstart far-right party Chega, which entered parliament for the first time with a single seat during the last election in 2019.

Polls give it nearly seven percent support, which would make it the third-biggest force in parliament.

- Agencies