Portugal's Parliament recently passed the country's 2014 budget proposal, which primarily focuses on spending cuts and tax increases, with a vote of 131 in favor and 94 against.
In the vote, all opposition party members, including those from the main opposition party, the Socialist Party, voted against the budget proposal, and one member of the People's Party from the ruling coalition also voted against it. After the vote, the budget proposal will soon be submitted to the President of Portugal for approval. According to the Portuguese Constitution, the President can declare the budget proposal effective within 20 days of receiving it or submit it to the Constitutional Court within 8 days to determine its constitutionality.
In April of this year, the Constitutional Court of Portugal ruled that four provisions in the 2013 budget proposal regarding the reduction of holiday allowances for civil servants and retirees were unconstitutional.
