section_path: Biography/Leader of the PSD
section_name: Leader of the PSD
paragraph_text: Leader of the PSD
  
  Following the Social Democrats' defeat in the 2019 legislative election, in January 2020, Montenegro announced his second candidacy for the PSD leadership election, challenging again Rio. During the campaign, Rio attacked Montenegro for being a Freemason. In the run-off, Rio won with 53.2% of the votes, against the 46.8% for Montenegro.
  
  Rio resigned following the PSD's poor performance in the 2022 Portuguese legislative election. Montenegro was the first person to put himself forward for the party leadership election, in which he ran against former minister Jorge Moreira da Silva. Montenegro won with 72.47% of the votes, beating his opponent in every district.
  
  Under Montenegro’s leadership, the PSD reached an agreement in January 2024 with the CDS-PP for a pre-electoral alliance as they sought to bolster their chances of winning the national elections later that year. The Democratic Alliance took the most seats in the election with 80, two more than the PS. One of Montenegro's campaign promises was the full privatisation of TAP Air Portugal.
  
  On 21 March 2024, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa formally issued Montenegro an invitation to form a government. Montenegro's new government was then presented to, and approved by, the president on 28 March.