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Portugal Socialists head for win Portuguese Socialists re-elected
(about 4 hours later)
The governing Socialist Party of Jose Socrates is set to retain power in Portugal's elections, exit polls say. Portugal's governing Socialist Party has been re-elected, but has lost its overall majority.
The polls indicate that the party has won about 40% of the vote, but failed to retain its absolute majority in parliament. Final results from Sunday's general election gave PM Jose Socrates 36% of the vote, seven points ahead of the centre-right Social Democrats.
Challenger Manuela Ferreira Leite, of the centre-right Social Democrats, is forecast to win under 30% of the vote. The election campaign was dominated by disagreements over how to deal with Portugal's economic crisis.
Mr Socrates promised to invest heavily in public work projects to tackle Portugal's rising unemployment. Mr Socrates promised large-scale public works while Social Democrats advocated moves to boost private investment.
Correspondents say if Mr Socrates wins the election he faces hard choices about whether to try to form a coalition or rule with a minority government. After the results were announced, the prime minister told cheering supporters in Lisbon: "The Socialist Party has achieved an extraordinary electoral victory tonight."
The exit polls have been published by Portugal's three national television broadcasters. But correspondents say if Mr Socrates faces hard choices about whether to try to form a coalition or rule with a minority government.
A spokesman for the Socialist Party welcomed the projections as pointing to "a clear victory".