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Thousands rally outside Portugal's parliament over housing crisis, police operations
Reuters • • world
Key Points:
- Thousands protested outside Portugal's parliament against the worsening housing crisis and recent police actions targeting housing activists, coinciding with debates on the 2027 government budget.
- Portugal faces a severe housing affordability crisis, with home prices and rents more than doubling since 2017, disproportionately impacting young people as wages have not kept pace.
- The protests followed police baton charges to dismantle tent camps set up by activists in Lisbon and Porto, prompting allegations of excessive force and investigations by the internal affairs watchdog and prosecutors.
- Demonstrators opposed a proposed bill to speed up evictions and remove rent caps on new leases, criticizing the minority centre-right government for failing to address housing needs and threatening the right to protest.
- Prime Minister Luis Montenegro defended police actions in parliament, stating they adhered to principles of necessity, proportionality, and adequacy amid ongoing tensions.
