The detention of Portugal's former Prime Minister on suspicion of tax fraud, money laundering and corruption was a shocker to the nation and is going to affect next year's general election, BBC reported.

Jose Socrates served as prime minister from March 2005 to June 2011 and was the only Socialist leader to ever secure an absolute majority in parliament.

He had mixed reviews, as people either admired or intensely disliked him. Those who disliked him did so because during his administration the country was forced to seek a Eurozone bailout, BBC reported.

Socrates was detained at Lisbon airport on Nov. 21 for questioning and then remanded three days later into custody pending further investigation.

This may affect the Socialist votes for the upcoming election.

"The likely effect is greater volatility and a more fragmented parliament," Carlos Jalali, a professor of political science at the University of Aveiro, told BBC. "There were already signs of voters moving away from the two main parties. ... But the impact is greater for the Socialists."

Socialist party leader Antonio Costa, said that though party members may have personal feelings on the situation, the justice system must be respected.

Other socialist party members accused the government of trying to divert attention and cover up a separate investigation into the abuse of a government program that fast-tracks visa applications for foreign investors.

Until the Socrates situation came to light, Socialists had a 10-point lead in polls over Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho's Social Democratic Party.

After five days of silence, Socrates issued a statement denouncing the detention and calling it an abuse and said the allegations are without foundation.

And while the media field day is focused on the allegations, others say that both the allegations against Socrates and the alleged visa scandal will decisively affect the near future of politics in Portugal.