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tions and general strikes have grown, with the largest attracting an estimated 1.5 million
people nationwide in 2013 - an astounding figure given Portugal's small size. Those in in-
dustries most affected by government policy - including education, healthcare and trans-
port - have joined ranks with the unemployed and pensioners to protest in the largest
gatherings since the Carnation Revolution in 1974.
Yet, unlike in Greece or Spain, protests have remained fairly peaceful thus far - some
chalk this up to the more melancholy, less fiery Portuguese temperament. Where other
southern Europeans throw Molotov cocktails, the Portuguese, well, sing: in one much-
publicised protest , opera singer Ana Maria Pinto led the crowd in song (' Acordai ' mean-
ing 'Wake up'), drowning out a speech by President AnĂ­bal Cavaco Silva on Portugal's
Republic Day).
Daily Struggles & Political Upheavals
Despite the bailout package, Portugal remains in its most severe recession since the 1970s.
Every day, Portuguese are confronted with depressing headlines announcing freezes on
public spending, cuts in healthcare, removal of free school lunches, curtailing of police
patrols and rising suicides, among many other issues. Pensioners living on 200-odd euros
a month struggle to feed themselves without family financial support, and poverty and
hunger affect untold millions; according to TNS Global roughly three out of four people
in Portugal struggle to make their money last through the month. What began as a finan-
cial crisis has now turned into a political crisis, as successive government ministers have
failed to ameliorate the growing problems. With anger growing on the streets, key govern-
ment ministers have resigned and a wary public has clamoured for the resignation of
Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho.
A Green Economy
While most of the economy has been floundering, Portugal has been transforming itself
into one of the greenest economies in Europe. In 2013 renewable energy supplied some
70% of Portugal's total consumption. Owing in part to the recession, energy consumption
has fallen every year since 2010. Long-term investments that began back in 2005 in hy-
droelectricity and wind energy, among other sources, have yielded dividends in recent
years. Unfortunately, the economic crisis has created uncertainty over continued invest-
ment in renewable energy.
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