(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Portugal's governing party gained momentum last month, according to a poll by Marktest released by Diario de Noticias and TSF. 44 per cent of respondents would vote for the Socialist Party (PS) in the next legislative election, up four points since June.

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) is second with 29 per cent, followed by the Leftist Bloc (BE) with nine per cent, the Unitarian Democratic Coalition (CDU)—which includes the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Environmental Party "The Greens" (OV)—with eight per cent, and the Social Democratic Centre / Popular Party (CDS/PP) with six per cent.

The Socialists won the February 2005 parliamentary ballot, garnering 45.3 per cent of the vote and electing 121 lawmakers to the 230-seat Assembly of the Republic. Socialist leader Jose Socrates took over as prime minister in March. In April, Luis Marques Mendes became the new leader of the Social Democrats, substituting former prime minister Pedro Santana Lopes.

Last month, Socrates defended his reformist policies and assessed their impact on Portugal, saying, "Every country, depending on its economic circumstances, goes through depressions. But we are winning back confidence."

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