LISBON, Portugal >> A general election in Portugal on Sunday was poised to deliver yet another minority government, an exit poll suggested, as the country’s increasingly fragmented political landscape defies efforts to unite behind policies on issues such as immigration, housing and the cost of living.

The center-right Democratic Alliance captured between 29% and 34% of the votes in the country’s third general election in three years, according to the exit poll by Portugal’s Catholic University for public broadcaster Radiotelevisao Portuguesa.

The center-left Socialist Party got between 21% and 26% while the hard-right populist party Chega (Enough) had between 20% and 24%, the poll indicated.

With that tally, the Democratic Alliance could get between 85 and 96 seats, short of the 116 needed for a majority in Portugal’s 230-seat parliament. It could form a minority government or forge partnerships with smaller parties to obtain a majority.

Most official results are expected by midnight (2300 GMT).

Cheers and applause broke out at the Democratic Alliance campaign headquarters when the exit poll was broadcast. The Socialist headquarters was largely silent as the party faced what could be its worst result since 1987.

Chega’s possible count was a surprise, potentially putting it close to a level footing with the Socialist Party. Chega competed in its first election six years ago, when it won one seat. Sunday’s exit poll gave it as many as 61, up from 50 in last year’s election as it fed off discontentment with the traditional main parties.

A second consecutive minority government in Portugal would dash hopes for an end to the worst spell of political instability in decades for the European Union country of 10.6 million people.

For the past 50 years, two parties have dominated politics, with the Social Democrats, who head the Democratic Alliance, and the Socialist Party alternating in power.

But public frustration with their record in government has fueled the growth of new alternatives in recent years. That has denied the bigger parties enough seats in parliament for a majority needed to ensure that they serve a full four-year term.