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Portugal’s Socialist Party Gains Ground in Municipal Elections, Boosting Costa

  • Costa says Socialist Party had biggest ever local election win
  • Government stands halfway through its four-year term in office
Portugal local elections: Socialist leader Antonio Costa talks to the press

Portugal local elections: Socialist leader Antonio Costa talks to the press

Photographer: Tiago Petinga/EPA-EFE
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The minority government of Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa received a boost on Sunday after his Socialist Party gained in national municipal elections.

Two years before the next general election is due, the Socialists took 38 percent of the vote and 157 town halls with 99.8 percent of the country’s voting districts reporting, according to the government’s election website. Turnout was 55 percent on Sunday, compared with 52.6 percent at the previous local elections in 2013.