The counting of votes from Portugal’s overseas communities took place yesterday at the Lisbon Congress Centre, according to multiple reports.
Electoral Administration data cited in local media shows that almost 300,000 ballots were received, representing nearly 20 percent of overseas voters, who between them will elect four legislators.
Most of the emigrant votes were cast in other European countries and North America, but just over 11,000 were from Asia, Oceania and Africa.
The results of the emigrant count will be published on Wednesday, when President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is expected to declare Luís Montenegro, the head of the centre-right Democratic Alliance, as Portugal’s new prime minister.
[See more: Portugal’s far-right is calling for a say in government]
The Alliance scored a narrow victory in the polls on 10 March.
Alexandra Leitão, campaign coordinator for the Socialist Party, which has conceded defeat, says her party should govern if overseas voters sway the election result. However, she admitted during a TV interview that such an outcome was unlikely.
The Socialist Party, she said, should “be the leader of the opposition” and “have an alternative programme for the country” instead of propping up the Democratic Alliance in a coalition.
The far-right Chega party, which performed well in the election and is hoping for a kingmaker role, says it has still not struck any deals with the Alliance.
