Budget Crisis: Protests in Portugal

Newly recovered from the recession, Portugal angers its population by increasing taxes and cutting pensions.

Thousands of civilians are infuriated by their increase in work without a rise in pay as well as job cuts throughout the country.

Protests among the Portuguese are numerous in response to the government’s decision to “extend austerity measures in the 2014 budget.”  

The budget cuts are said to be around 2.5 to 12 percent for those bringing in more than 600 euros a month.

Protesters flocked the bridges in Lisbon renting buses as a demonstration of their objection to the country’s budget extension while others gathered in Porto rallying against the government’s austerity.  

Protester Ricardo Pereira explains, "I'm here to fight for a better future for me and for the next generation and against this government's austerity measures."

Portugal’s 78 billion euro bailout ends mid-2014 when the country’s finances are expected to return to normal after the 2011 debt crisis.

However, the budget has yet to sail through the Constitutional Court, which is known for rejecting austerity processes.