Portugal’s president has convened political parties for consultations after a general election delivered another minority government.

The extremist Chega party obtained as many MPs as the Socialist Party, but is expected to surpass it once the overseas votes are counted. The conservative Luis Montenegro is expected to remain prime minister.

Portugal’s third general election in three years Sunday dashed hopes that the ballot could end the worst spell of political instability for decades in the European Union country of 10.6 million people.