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 centre-right minority government collapsed on Tuesday after losing a vote of confidence, with the country now likely to head into its third early general election in as many years.

Portugal will face an early election on 18 May, its third in just three years, after parliament toppled Prime Minister Luis Montenegro’s centre-right minority government in a confidence vote.

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.

The government, led by the Social Democrats in an alliance with a smaller party, fell amid a controversy that has revolved around potential conflicts of interest in the business dealings of outgoing Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's family law firm.