Portugal's president has announced that the country will hold an early general election on May 18. His announcement Thursday came two days after a minority government lost a confidence vote in parliament and stood down.

Portugal has slid back into more political uncertainty after its third government fell in as many years when Prime Minister Luis Montenegro lost a confidence vote in Parliament

Portugal's parliament will vote later on Tuesday on a motion of confidence in the minority centre-right government, which looks set to be rejected, triggering the country's third early general election in just over three years.

Portugal’s minority government has lost a confidence vote in parliament, forcing its resignation and bringing the European Union country’s third general election in three years.

Lawmakers voted 142-88, with zero abstentions, against the motion of confidence that was presented last Thursday by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, who has been in the job for 11 months. He called the vote after the opposition questioned his integrity over the dealings of a consultancy firm he founded and is now run by his sons.

Portugal’s parliament on Tuesday rejected the vote of confidence presented by the center-right government of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, leaving the door open to possible early elections. The unicameral assembly rejected the motion with the votes of the Socialist Party (PS),