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Portugal vote: Governing coalition ahead, exit polls suggest Portugal vote: Governing coalition ahead, exit polls suggest
(about 3 hours later)
Exit polls suggest Portugal's centre-right government is likely to be re-elected, after a poll that tested its austerity policies. Exit polls and early results suggest Portugal's centre-right governing coalition has won Sunday's election.
The election was widely seen as a referendum on four years of spending cuts and market reforms. With most votes counted, the coalition is ahead with about 39%, followed by the Socialists on just under 32%, official results show.
The poll was seen as a referendum on four years of spending cuts.
The governing coalition had vowed to continue the policies, in place since 2011 after it was forced to seek a eurozone bailout.The governing coalition had vowed to continue the policies, in place since 2011 after it was forced to seek a eurozone bailout.
The Socialists and other left-wing groups criticised the cuts. The opposition Socialists, led by Antonio Costa, and other left-wing groups had criticised the cuts.
Unemployment has been falling for two-and-a-half years, but many regard the recovery as fragile.Unemployment has been falling for two-and-a-half years, but many regard the recovery as fragile.
The centre-right Social Democratic Party, led by Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho, and its right-wing ally, the People's Party, put up joint lists of candidates in all electoral districts. The centre-right Social Democratic Party, led by Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho, and its right-wing ally, the People's Party, put up joint lists.
Their main challenger, Socialist leader Antonio Costa, had said that only a vote for his party was a "useful vote" against the government.
The exit polls suggest the coalition has a lead of about seven percentage points over the Socialists, which analysts say should be enough to see it returned to power.
Read more: Coalition hopes to survive austerity angerRead more: Coalition hopes to survive austerity anger