Japan’s political landscape shifted dramatically following a weekend snap election, where voters rejected Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s scandal-plagued coalition, leaving no party with a clear majority.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner, Komeito, lost seats, dropping from 279 to 215, while the main opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), increased its presence from 98 to 148 seats but still fell short of a majority.

Ishiba pledged to continue as premier, but analysts doubt his ability to lead a new government after such a defeat.

Smaller parties also gained ground, complicating coalition negotiations, Reuters has reported.

The results reflect the LDP’s worst electoral performance since losing power briefly in 2009.

Written by B.C. Begley