Thousands march in Portugal to protest government-imposed austerity measures
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}People, some of them holding a large banner that reads in Portuguese: "There is a Way! Government and Troika Out!", march towards the Portuguese parliament during a demonstration against austerity measures taken by the Portuguese government in exchange for an euro 78 billion (US$ 107.6 billion) bailout needed in 2011, in Lisbon, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013. Others placards read in Portuguese: "Dictatorship" and "Resignation of the lackey government". (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) (The Associated Press)
Thousands of people have marched in Lisbon to protest the austerity measures the government has been compelled to adopt in return for a 78 billion euro ($105.6 billion) bailout reached in 2011.
Saturday's march to Parliament, which was peaceful, was in support of a civic movement called "Screw the Troika."
Troika refers to the three bailout creditors — Portugal's fellow eurozone members, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund — that have helped Portugal during its financial crisis.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Market confidence is needed so Portugal can improve its credit rating, currently classified as junk by the three main rating agencies. The country also must resume long-term borrowing in bond markets by the middle of next year, when the bailout program ends.