In the weeks leading up to the 2026 election, Portugal was hit by a series of deadly storms that raged across the Iberian Peninsula, including Storm Leonardo, which hit just a couple of days before election day. The storms brought heavy rain, strong winds and rising river levels, causing the destruction of homes, businesses and equipment, fallen trees and structures, landslides, road closures, the closing of schools and transport services, and power and water cutoffs.

On 18 May 2025, Portuguese citizens went to the polls in a snap legislative election.