Thousands return to Lisbon square, press government to scrap rental bill

On Saturday, thousands of housing protesters returned to Lisbon's Rossio Square, urging Portugal's minority center-right government to abandon a rental bill they claim will exacerbate the nation's affordability crisis. The country is currently facing one of Europe's most severe housing crises, with young individuals among the most affected.

House prices have more than doubled since 2017, and rents for new leases nearly doubled. Organizers claimed that several thousand individuals gathered at the central square, though police did not provide a crowd estimate. Housing protests have intensified in recent weeks, with police facing criticism for baton-charging demonstrators and arresting dozens while dismantling a tent camp in the same square a week earlier.

Rita Silva, a spokesperson for the housing movement Casa para Viver, stated that after weeks of protests, people are demonstrating remarkable perseverance, resilience, and determination in the face of rising living costs and the monumental challenge of making a living. Silva expressed that the government's lack of willingness to listen will not prevent the demonstrations from continuing. The unrest aligns with protests across Spain, France, Germany, and other parts of Europe, resulting from skyrocketing housing costs.

Interior Minister Luis Neves affirmed that the government acknowledges the protests' legitimacy but expects them to be held in order, with civility, and in compliance with the law. The protesters are demanding that the government retract a bill that would make evictions simpler and eliminate rent caps on new leases. This bill passed its initial parliamentary reading with the abstention of the far-right Chega party.

Prime Minister Luis Montenegro ruled out scrapping the bill on Thursday but indicated openness to amending it before a final vote in upcoming weeks. He emphasized that while parties must align, the government's program remains the primary focus.

Socialist Party leader Jose Luis Carneiro urged the government on Saturday to engage in discussions with opposition parties and protesters instead of arrogantly imposing its views, which sometimes carry authoritarian undertones.