Portugal snap election looms as president dissolves Parliament | Al Jazeera

Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s consultative body, the Council of State, has approved his proposal to dissolve Parliament after lawmakers rejected the government’s 2022 budget bill last week, paving the way for a snap election.

A statement from the president’s office said a majority of council members approved the dissolution of Parliament, but it did not say when a snap election could take place.

Rebelo de Sousa still needs to sign the dissolution decree and Portuguese newspaper Expresso reported that he wants time to reflect on the date.

He met with the main political parties over the weekend and most told him the election should take place in January.

Parliament’s rejection of the budget does not automatically trigger an election, but the president, who is expected to address the nation on Thursday evening, warned before the vote that he would have no other option.