PORTUGAL: THOUSANDS DEMONSTRATE IN PROTEST AGAINST CENTRE-RIGHT GOVERNMENT AND POLICY OF AUSTERITY.

Record ID: 860996

  • Title: PORTUGAL: THOUSANDS DEMONSTRATE IN PROTEST AGAINST CENTRE-RIGHT GOVERNMENT AND POLICY OF AUSTERITY.
  • Date: 14th December 1981
  • Summary: SV ZOOM OUT GV Large banners fixed to building GV PAN & SV Chanting demonstrators (4 shots) GV Avenue filled with demonstrators and ranks of banners GV Demonstration moves along avenue, on lookers watch from pavements (3 shots) (1.33) BB
  • Embargoed: 29th December 1981 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LISBON, PORTUGAL
  • City:
  • Country: Portugal
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5U9I7PSV79MHUELC56YIKBHP
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: INTRODUCTION: The Portuguese government of the ruling centre-right Democratic Alliance party faced its biggest protest on Saturday (12 December) when thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in at least 40 cities and towns.

    SYNOPSIS: The demonstrations were called for and organized by the Communist-backed General Confederation of Workers.Unionists from across the Portuguese political spectrum joined in the protest, the biggest since the Democratic Alliance of Prime Minister Francisco Pinto Balsemao took power from the Socialists two years ago.One of the largest demonstrations capital, Lisbon.Organizers said they wanted to protest against plans by the Lisbon government to impose a 17 per cent ceiling on wage rises next year.It is move aimed at reducing the current rate of inflation -- which officially stands at 18 per cent though it's put at 25 per cent by three former Portuguese Finance Ministers.The move to limit wages forms part of a drastic austerity budget outlined by the government last month to counter a severe economic crisis.

    Marching behind banners calling for the dismissal of the Democratic Alliance the demonstrators also protested against plans aimed at either modifying of scrapping altogether some of the socialist-orientated articles in the constitution.These were passed two years after the 1974 revolution.Another aim of the protests was to indicate rejection of plans to store nuclear weapons in Portugal -- despite government assurances the weapons won't be stocked on the NATO bases in the country.
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