The EP election was held in Portugal on Sunday.

The turnout was 37%. The EP is reporting the following results (2004 in brackets):

Partido Social democratica (PPD/PSD) – 31.7%, 8 seats (33.3% with CDS-PP, 9)
Partido Socialista (PS) – 26.6%, 7 seats (44.5%, 12)
Bloco de esquerda – 10.7%, 3 seats (4.9%, 1)
Coligacao democrática unitária (CDU – PCP-PEV) – 10.7%, 2 seats (9.1%, 2)
Partido popular (CDS-PP) – 8.4%, 2 seats (2004 with PSD)
Others registered nearly 12%.

A legislative election is scheduled for Portugal in September. In the 2005 legislative election, the PS won 45% and is currently the incumbent government. Obviously, its support has fallen dramatically, even if EP elections are not necessarily a good indicator of support in legislative elections. In 2005 the main opposition party, the centre-right PSD, won 28.8%, so its support is up compared with then, but not enough to form a single-party government. I have no sense as to whether the PCP-PEV would contemplate joining a PS government, or whether a PSD-PP coalition would win enough seats in parliament. Overall, it looks as if there could be an interesting election coming up.