Portuguese gov't approves minimum wage increase to €600

The Portuguese government approved on Thursday the increase of the country's national minimum wage to 600 euros as of Jan. 1 next year.

The wage increase will benefit more than 750,000 workers nationwide, the government said in a statement after a cabinet meeting earlier in the day.

The Socialist government headed by Prime Minister Antonio Costa took power in November 2015 and has increased annually the minimum wage from 505 euros in 2015 to 580 euros in 2018.

The minority government with the support of the Portuguese Communist Party and Left Bloc will face the parliamentary elections in October next year, contending with the current main opposition Social Democratic Party.