Should Portugal’s centre-right work with far-right to form a stable majority?

Democratic Alliance finished ahead in Sunday’s ballot but is a long way from forming a government led by Social Democratic party

The dilemma facing Luís Montenegro of Portugal’s Social Democratic party (PSD) will be familiar to a growing number of Europe’s centre-right parties: if the shortest and surest route to power means working with the populist far right, should you take it?

Montenegro’s electoral alliance with two smaller conservative parties finished first in Sunday’s ballot, winning 79 seats: two more than its Socialist party (PS) rival, but a very long way indeed from a majority in the country’s 230-seat parliament.