Portugal’s Costa Has Solid Lead Heading Into Sunday’s Election

(Bloomberg) -- Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa’s Socialists hold a solid lead in opinion polls ahead of Sunday’s general election, stemming losses over a scandal during the past month.

Costa’s party has roughly 10 percentage points more than the center-right PSD party, according to the surveys published by Jornal Economico and Expresso on Friday. The Socialists would increase the number of seats to between 104 and 114 out a total of 230, falling short of an outright majority. They currently hold 86 seats.

With such gains Costa might be able to govern without one of his current allies, the Communists or the Left Bloc. During his first term he needed the support from both to approve his annual budget.

Costa was put on the defensive over a scandal involving a former defense minister, which helped erode a lead that had reached nearly 20 points a month ago.

Exit polls will be released when the last ballot boxes close at 8 p.m. Polls open at 8 a.m. Lisbon time.

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