Lisbon - The Portuguese Socialist Party, led by Prime Minister, Mr Antonio Guterres, just fell short of winning an overall parliamentary majority in yesterday's elections.
Mr Guterres told a news conference before final official results had been announced that his party had a "relative" majority in the legislature. He said it had won 113 seats in the 230-seat legislature, one more than it held in the last parliament.
The prime minister, who had campaigned hard for an absolute majority, said that he was prepared to continue to govern Portugal with a minority administration as he had done for the past four years. The vote marks the first time the party has won re-election since 1974.