Thousands of Portuguese workers have taken to the streets of Lisbon to protest.

They are upset at government changes to labour laws and pensions, which they say will hit their living standards.

Celeste Duarte, a teacher, said: “I cannot stand by watching my people suffer, suffering from hunger, unemployment, poverty. In my school many children are suffering from hunger.

“You look around and you only see people going through hard times. We see young people, the best we have, the future of the country, having to leave.”

The protest comes after Portugal formally left a punishing three-year financial bailout programme in May.