Portugal CDS party ready to form coalition

LISBON (Reuters) - The leader of Portugal's rightist CDS party said he was ready to form a majority coalition government with the center-right Social Democrats, the victors of Sunday's general election.

The Social Democrats are expected to win just under 40 percent of the vote when the count is finalized, leaving it just short of an absolute majority on its own. The CDS won almost 12 percent of the votes.

CDS party leader Paulo Portas said the country needed a strong majority that would last a full mandate.

"I confirm, as I said in the campaign, the readiness of the CDS to form that majority, a majority for four years," he said.

(Reporting by Shrikesh Laxmidas; writing by Axel Bugge)