No clear election winner as populist party surges in Portugal

Luis Montenegro, leader of the centre-right Democratic Alliance, gestures to supporters after claiming victory in Portugal’s election (Armando Franca/AP)

Portugal’s political future is hanging in the balance with a final decision on the winner of Sunday’s general election set to take weeks after a surge in support for a populist party.

The centre-right Social Democrat-led Democratic Alliance won 77 seats in the 230-seat National Assembly – one more than the centre-left Socialist Party, which has been in power for the past eight years.