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Portuguese protest against gov't policies before general elections

Xinhua, July 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

Hundreds of Portuguese protested Wednesday outside parliament in capital Lisbon against the government's policies.

The protest was organized by Portugal's largest trade union CGTP for the last debate of the parliamentary session as the general elections approach in October.

Carlos, leader of CGTP, told Xinhua the protest was held to "protest the government's policy of exploitation and impoverishment which is endangering the country's future."

Portugal's ruling coalition has been implementing harsh spending cuts and tax hikes to meet the targets set in the 78 billion euro (about 85 billion U.S. dollars) bailout program the country signed in 2011 with its international lenders, even after it was completed last year.

Carlos said there are alternatives to the government's policies which include renegotiating the country's debt and breaking with the country's budgetary deal which he said is choking the economy.

He also said his trade union aims to encourage the creation of more employment, as well as more job stability and fairer working hours.

Carlos said the protest was also held to contest the country's privatization program, which has seen stakes sold in airport operator ANA, power firm EDP, postal service CTT and recently airline TAP, among others.

"This protest is to demand the government's resignation and the rupture with right-wing policies," Carlos concluded. Endit