Men walk past billboards campaigning for the local elections on a street in Sintra
Men walk past billboards campaigning for the local elections on a street in Sintra September 27, 2013. Disillusion with Portugal's main parties, both battered by association with the country's deep economic crisis and international bailout, is translating into a surge in independent candidates for Sunday's local elections. While government austerity measures - a condition of the bailout - have sparked periodic protests and strikes, the protests haven't turned violent, as in Greece, nor have voters turned to extremist political parties to vent their anger. REUTERS/Jose Manuel Ribeiro (PORTUGAL - Tags: BUSINESS POLITICS ELECTIONS)