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World

New minority government brings political tension in Portugal after election

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    A center-right ruling coalition supporter celebrates on a street after the party won Portugal's general elections Sunday, Oct. 4 2015, in Lisbon. The center-right coalition government earned another four-year term Sunday, winning a general election behind an improving economy that weathered the austerity measures contested across Europe, but falling short of a crucial outright majority in Parliament. (AP Photo/Steven Governo) (The Associated Press)

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    Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho, left, and Deputy Prime Minister Paulo Portas hug each other after addressing supporters following the announcement of the results of Portugal's general elections Sunday, Oct. 4 2015, in Lisbon. Opinion polls prior to the vote predicted a close contest. (AP Photo/Armando Franca) (The Associated Press)

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    Portuguese Socialist leader Antonio Costa addresses supporters following the announcement of the results of Portugal's general elections Sunday, Oct. 4 2015, in Lisbon, Portugal. Polls showed the center-right ruling coalition winning over the center-left Socialist Party, the main opposition on Sunday. (AP Photo/Steven Governo) (The Associated Press)

LISBON, Portugal – Stormy political times likely lay ahead for Portugal after a general election delivered a minority government.

Only one minority government in Portugal has ever completed its four-year term. Their average life span is 14 months.

The center-right coalition government was re-elected in Sunday's ballot despite its unpopular austerity policies and on the back of an improving economy. But it will be outnumbered by left-of-center parties in the 230-seat Parliament where it is shy of a 116-seat outright majority. That means its further austerity measures and reforms risk being blocked.

With Portugal still recovering from its 78 billion-euro ($88 billion) bailout in 2011, the uncertainty could spell another bout of market jitters over the debt-heavy eurozone country.

Daily paper Diario de Noticias wrote in an editorial Monday, "The challenge begins now."