Thousands protest outside Portugal's parliament over housing and cost of living during budget debate
Protesters filled the square outside parliament as MPs debated the 2027 State Budget, and several Socialist MPs joined the crowd, Portugal Resident reported.
Thousands of people gathered outside Portugal's parliament in another protest over housing and the cost of living, according to Portugal Resident. The protest took place as MPs debated the AD minority government's proposal for the 2027 State Budget.
This story rests on that single report.
Portugal Resident reported that when MPs left the chamber after hours of debate, they found the square outside parliament filled with protesters. The outlet described it as arguably the largest "right to housing" protest so far.
According to the report, housing was not the only issue. Portugal Resident wrote that the crowd was showing frustration more generally with how the country is being led, and that footage showed older people as well as young people among the protesters.
A representative of the Porta à Porta movement told the crowd:
“We came here to make Montenegro have to leave through the back door”Representative of the Porta à Porta movement
Others chanted slogans including "Housing is not a Commodity" and "General Strike!", the outlet reported. When police officers on the parliamentary steps were relieved by colleagues, people in the street shouted at them to "come and join us!"
Several MPs from the PS joined the protest after the debate, Portugal Resident reported. They included the party's parliamentary spokesman Eurico Brilhante Dias, Isabel Moreira, Miguel Cabrita and Marina Gonçalves, who served briefly as housing minister in António Costa's last government.
Another PS MP, Sofia Pereira, told reporters: "Our presence here tonight is to show people that we are on their side and available to give answers for their lives in the Assembleia da República (parliament)".
The protest matters because it followed a police operation earlier in the week. Portugal Resident reported a baton charge in the early hours of Sunday, with police dogs used to corral protesters. According to the outlet, that did not put people off: more protesters turned out this time than on Sunday. Portugal Resident wrote that the crowd could not be dismissed as a small group of vandals and troublemakers, which it said was how CHEGA had described protesters.
Portugal Resident, citing SIC, said protests were also taking place in other parts of the country, including Coimbra, Leiria and Faro.
Some things are still unclear. Reporters at the scene said many protesters had brought bags so they could stay overnight. Portugal Resident said it was not clear whether that would happen, or how police would respond if it did. The report did not give an estimate of crowd size, and it did not say whether there were any arrests or injuries.
