The Prime Minister not only defended the measure but also considers it inevitable on the path of convergence with the European Union, according to a report by CNN Portugal.

The prime minister, António Costa, confessed that he was "surprised by the surprise" caused by his call for a 20 percent increase in salaries over the next four years, when the average salary rose by 22 percent in recent years.

Will wages go up by 20 percent? “There is no other remedy”, says Costa. At stake is the need to capture and retain talent. "This new generation is not available for the hours that companies are used to working. Young people don't want an authoritarian and uncreative management style. Young people may have alternatives. Companies don't," he said.

Qualifications

“For the first time since the 16th century we have a generation with qualifications above the European average”, stressed António Costa, recalling that in recent years an effort has been made to reduce school drop-out rates and invest in the qualifications of young Portuguese people. "We have reduced school dropout rates from 13.9 to 5 percent. This is the biggest reform in Portugal. The biggest structural deficit the country has is related to qualifications", stated Costa.