Portugal faces snap election as parliament rejects draft budget

Rejection of the government's proposed budget after weeks of negotiations expected to trigger an early election

Portugal's parliament has rejected the minority Socialist government's proposed state budget for 2022, a move expected to trigger an early election and put a brake on the country's post-pandemic recovery plans.

After weeks of negotiations, the moderate Socialists were deserted by their hard-left allies from the Communist party and the Left Bloc. Those two parties have helped shore up the government's power over the past six years by voting for its policies or abstaining.