LISBON, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's Social Democratic Party (PSD), running both independently and in coalition, won 136 mayoral races in Sunday's local elections, becoming the leading force in municipal government.
The voter turnout, with the final count completed early Monday morning, marked the highest participation rate in local elections since 2005, with an abstention rate of 40.74 percent, according to provisional data from the Ministry of Internal Administration.
The Socialist Party (PS) came in second with 128 municipal councils, including 126 won independently and two in coalition with the Livre and PAN parties. The PS, which had been the leading party in local government since 2021, lost its position in Sunday's vote.
PSD-led coalitions, including partnerships with CDS-PP and other parties, secured leadership in six of Portugal's ten most populous municipalities -- Lisbon, Sintra, Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Cascais, and Braga. The PS captured the remaining four -- Loures, Almada, Amadora, and Matosinhos.
Sunday's elections allowed voters to choose leadership for Portugal's 308 municipalities, which manage local services such as education, healthcare, transportation, housing, and urban planning. Municipal elections are held every four years.
The PSD's strong showing in local elections follows the party's formation of a national coalition government earlier this year under Prime Minister Luis Montenegro. ■
