Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa abruptly tendered his resignation, mere hours following a police raid on his residence, government ministries, and other properties as part of a significant corruption investigation.

In a televised statement on Tuesday, Costa revealed that he had submitted his resignation to President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The Socialist politician asserted that his conscience remained clear, but the gravity of the allegations left him with no choice but to step down from his position.

The investigation centers on suspicions of bribery and favoritism related to the allocation of concessions for lithium mining and the production of green hydrogen, as reported by the state news agency Lusa, the state broadcaster RTP, and various other Portuguese media outlets.

According to these reports, five individuals, including Costa’s Cabinet chief Vítor Escaría, were taken into custody. The prosecutor’s office confirmed that searches had been conducted at numerous residences and offices, including those within the ministries of Infrastructure and Environment, as well as Costa’s own residence.

However, both prosecutors and law enforcement agencies have refrained from disclosing further details about the case.

This unexpected resignation came in response to demands from opposition parties for Costa, aged 62, to step down, and for new elections to be conducted.