Portugal is holding an early general election to elect a new Parliament. Voters are set to elect 230 lawmakers to the National Assembly. Leaders of Portugal's political parties have wrapped up a two-week campaign for the tight election, which could end eight years of Socialist rule. The election was called after Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa resigned in November last year following an Investigation into alleged illegalities in his government's handling of large green investment project. The scandal included a police search of Prime Minister Costa's official residence and the arrest of his Chief of Staff. Mr Costa has not been charged.<br />''<br />''Two moderate parties, the centre-left Socialist Party and the centre-right Social Democratic Party, have alternated in power in Portugal for decades.<br />''In 2022, Prime Minister António Costa's Socialists party won a rare absolute majority. This time around, however, the Democratic Alliance, led by the center-right Social Democratic Party, is outpacing it in the polls.<br />''<br />''Portugal is one of the poorest countries in Western Europe, with many people struggling to make ends meet due to low wages and a housing crisis.<br />''<br />''<br />