THE PORTUGUESE PRESIDENT is quickly losing his popularity after saying that he would struggle to “cover expenses” on his €120,000-a-year pension.
Aníbal Cavaco Silva made the comments in response to a drop in his pension due to austerity measures imposed by the country’s government.
While the Silva has a declared income of about €10,000 a month, the average Portuguese citizen lives on just €900.
Protesters gathered outside the president’s official residence in Lisbon this week to ironically donate small change to their president in order to help him cover his living costs, the Portugal News reports.
More than 3,000 people also signed a petition last week calling for Aníbal Cavaco Silva to resign following his comments, Euronews reports.
Nuno Luís Marreiros, who started the petition, said: “If the petition has no other impact, maybe it will at least show to our politicians that the Portuguese are beginning to protest a bit more and to make their opinions known.”
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