Portugal housing protests erupt across thirty two cities on Saturday as demonstrators march against government rental policies.
Thousands of citizens took to the streets on Saturday following a national call from the Casa para Viver platform. Demonstrators marched under the motto “não nos vão roubar o direito de morar,” targeting the government’s proposed Urban Lease Regime.
The protests spanned thirty-two cities from north to south, including Lisbon, Porto, Covilhã, and Funchal. In Porto, demonstrators started at the Marquês at 15:00 and marched to Praça D. João I.
“Queremos que a nossa voz chegue ao governo e que outras pessoas que ainda não se juntaram a nós se juntem. Precisamos de casas para viver, não de casas para especular. É preciso construir habitação pública e é preciso reduzir o preço das rendas,” said Raquel Ferreira, representing the Casa Para Viver platform, speaking to RTP at the start of the Porto march.
The government’s proposed Urban Lease Regime returns for specialized discussion after passing its general reading with votes from right-wing parties. The opposition party Chega abstained following an agreement with the governing PSD, while the AD coalition and Liberal Initiative voted in favor. Parties including the PS, BE, LIVRE, PAN, PCP, and JPP opposed the measure.
The legislation aims to accelerate evictions for non-payment from three months down to two and removes caps on rental prices. It also permits higher upfront payments, such as increased security deposits and advanced rent, alongside revisions to pre-1990 legacy contracts.
Did You Know? According to a European Union report, average housing costs across Europe rose by 60,5 percent between 2015 and 2025, while Portugal’s ratio of house prices to household income jumped by 60,8 percent over the same decade.
Left-wing political figures joined the demonstrations to demand a complete reversal of the legislative package. José Manuel Pureza, coordinator for the Left Bloc, criticized the government’s stance during the Lisbon march.
“O que deveria acontecer, e o que esta força enorme mobilizada por todo o país quer, é que esta proposta de lei seja retirada,” said José Manuel Pureza, coordinator for the Left Bloc (BE), told RTP.
In Covilhã, roughly two hundred people marched to demand fair housing costs, while about fifty residents protested in Funchal amid local concerns over high property values and wages.
With net disposable income in Lisbon dropping to €253 monthly after rent according to the Deutsche Bank Research Institute, the widening gap between wages and real estate inflation continues to fuel widespread public mobilization.
The proposal reduces the eviction timeline for unpaid rent from three months to two months. It also removes rent price caps, permits higher upfront security deposits, and alters the legal framework for rental contracts signed before 1990.
Data from the Deutsche Bank Research Institute shows that the average net salary in Lisbon sits at €1,408, whereas monthly rents can reach up to €2,561. This leaves households with an average of just €253 remaining for all other monthly expenses.
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