Portuguese want to keep euro

The survey, carried out by Eurosondagem pollsters and published by Diario de Noticias daily, showed only 36.5 percent of 1,010 respondents supported the austerity drive, which is part of the terms of a 78-billion-euro EU/IMF bailout.

Portugal in May became the third euro zone country after Greece and Ireland to be bailed out and has been commended by the lenders for its efforts since, but the sovereign debt crisis has already spread to bigger economies such as Italy and Spain.

Some economists have suggested Greece and possibly other euro zone weaklings may have to leave the common currency area, an idea rejected by Brussels. Germany and France are exploring radical methods of securing deeper and more rapid fiscal integration among euro zone countries.

Around 73 percent of respondents said Portugal should continue in the common currency area and about the same proportion said they felt themselves Europeans.

Portugal has been raising taxes, slashing spending and resorting to painful pay cuts in the public sector to reduce its budget deficit under the terms of the deal.

Nearly 53 percent of respondents said they rejected the belt-tightening drive. The centre-right government has a solid majority in parliament and has promised to stick to the bailout commitments despite growing popular discontent.

Last week, unions staged a general strike against austerity, interrupting various public services and stopping some factories, but the government said the overall impact was limited.