LISBON, Portugal — Portugal will hold an early general election on May 18, the country’s president announced Thursday, two days after a minority government lost a confidence vote in parliament and stood down.

Political scientist Adelino Maltez of Lisbon University pointed to opinion polls showing very little change in voter preferences from the March 2024 election, in which Montenegro's Democratic Alliance (AD) won by a mere 1,500 votes, securing 80 seats in the 230-seat house.

Portugal’s Parliament ousted the center-right government in a vote of no confidence on Tuesday, forcing the third national election in little more than three years.