LISBON, March 11, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Portugal's centre-right Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, embroiled in an alleged conflict-of-interest controversy, is expected to lose a vote of confidence on Tuesday that would bring down his minority government after barely a year in office.

The parliamentary debate on the confidence vote is scheduled to begin at 1500 GMT.

The main opposition Socialists have made clear they will vote against Montenegro, rejecting attempts to gain their support.

On Monday, the Socialists went even further, announcing a formal request for a parliamentary commission of inquiry into Montenegro's possible conflict of interest.

The government's spokesman, Antonio Leitao Amaro, said that even though the prime minister "has answered practically all the questions... there are some who want to ignore the answers".

"We want to keep governing," but that came down to the Socialists, he said.

Montenegro said Saturday that he had felt compelled to call the confidence vote because of a "responsibility" to prevent Portugal becoming "mired" in instability.

If the government loses the vote, Montenegro will have to step down and the country's president will have to decide whether to dissolve parliament.

If President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa decides to do so, he has said that the resulting legislative elections would likely be held on May 11 or 18.

Montenegro, leader of the Social Democratic Party, took office in April last year but without an absolute majority in parliament.

The conflict-of-interest suspicions levelled against him include a media report that a service company owned by Montenegro's wife and children had contracts with several private companies that rely on government concessions.

Portuguese media have also reported about alleged irregularities in the purchase of an apartment.

The prime minister, who has survived two censure votes, denies any wrongdoing.

He has announced that the family business would be exclusively owned by his children, but the opposition has kept up the pressure on him.

Montenegro, 52, became prime minister after his predecessor Antonio Costa, a Socialist, resigned in November 2023 under the shadow of a corruption probe.

Costa, who denied any wrongdoing, ended up becoming president of the European Council in June last year.