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 ousted the center-right government in a vote of no confidence on Tuesday, forcing the third national election in little more than three years.

Under the Portuguese Constitution, the government’s defeat in a confidence vote triggers its collapse. That would bring Portugal’s third general election in three years at a time when Europe’s security and economy are under threat.

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.

While Portugal's President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, is not obliged to dissolve the assembly, he had made clear that he would if the government lost Tuesday's vote, with fresh elections likely in May.