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 is heading to its third early election in just over three years after parliament toppled Prime Minister Luis Montenegro’s center-right minority government in a confidence vote on Tuesday night.

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.