Portugal Bailout Deal Coming Soon?

EU officials predict the Portuguese bailout deal will be finalized within the next few days.  The source wishes to be anonymous because the deal is not yet done.  He stated that officials were in Lisbon discussing details about the deal.

Officials from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are currently in Lisbon finalizing the agreement for the bailout of the Portuguese government.  They are close to agreeing on the fiscal and economic adjustment program that will accompany the rescue loans. 

Portuguese newspapers expected the deal to be done by Wednesday but the official mentioned earlier said that he wasn't "optimistic" that it will happen by then.  This deal has not been widely accepted by most not only inside but outside the country as well.

Since the resignation of Prime Minister Jose Socrates caused some chaos inside the government, the deal must be approved by the major political parties.  Polls indicate that most parties would accept the bailout in the name of the country and its citizens.

A key factor playing into the success of the bailout is the Finnish government.  The newly elected True Finn party is extremely anti-euro union and skeptical of the European Union.  With negotiations still under way in Helsinki, and the True Fins likely to form part of a new government, doubts have grown that Finland will be able to endorse the bailout by mid-May, as was originally planned.