Thousands of people packed the streets outside Portugal’s parliament in Lisbon on Tuesday, October 27, to protest against a housing crisis that has put buying or renting a home out of reach for many young people. Inside, lawmakers were debating the draft budget for 2027. Outside, the demand was simpler: homes people can actually afford.
House prices in Portugal have more than doubled since 2017, and rents on new leases have nearly doubled. Wages have not kept up. Organisers said several thousand people took part in the rally. Police gave no crowd estimate. The protest came two days after police dismantled tent camps set up by housing activists in Lisbon and Porto, an operation that shaped much of the anger on Tuesday.
A crowd outside, a budget debate inside
Protesters gathered as parliament discussed the 2027 budget, pressing the minority centre-right government on rents, evictions and new housing. Placards and chants filled the area around the Palácio de São Bento, Portugal’s parliament building.
Joao Martins, 39, who is unemployed, told Reuters that protesters were fighting for decent and affordable housing for everyone, and for a budget that reflects the interests of the majority, rather than just a few privileged people. He said people were also defending the right to protest, which he felt had been seriously threatened in recent days.
Erica Rodrigues, 39, an actress, said the crisis affects young people and older generations alike. The cost of living, she said, is very high for what people earn. She called it unbearable. Students, commuters priced out of central flats, and older residents fearing a rent rise marched for the same reason: housing has become a monthly gamble.
Why prices have run away from wages
Portugal faces one of Europe’s most acute affordability crises. Since 2017, house prices have more than doubled and new-lease rents have nearly doubled, while pay has grown far more slowly. Rent or a mortgage now takes a far larger share of income than it did a decade ago.
Demand in Lisbon and Porto is strong, helped by tourism, foreign buyers and too few new homes where jobs are concentrated. Supply has lagged, and building at scale takes time, land and planning decisions no single budget can fix overnight. Young workers feel it first: high rents make saving for a deposit hard, so many delay moving out, share with several flatmates, or accept a long commute.
What protesters want, and what the bill would do
The immediate demand was clear: scrap a bill that would speed up evictions and end rent caps on new leases. It has passed a first reading, with the far-right Chega party abstaining.
- Drop the evictions bill: protesters say faster evictions and the end of rent caps would push rents higher and leave tenants with less security.
- A budget for ordinary households: demonstrators want the 2027 budget to prioritise affordable housing.
- More homes, not just debate: campaigners say new building, use of empty homes and stronger tenant protections must move together.
- Protect the right to protest: many demanded accountability for the weekend camp clearances.
Supporters of the bill argue freer rents and faster procedures could encourage landlords to offer more homes. Critics reply that without a large rise in supply, removing caps would simply raise prices for people with little choice.
The weekend camps and the inquiries that followed
Police used batons as they dismantled the tent camps on Sunday, sparking allegations of excessive force. Reuters reported that Portugal’s internal affairs watchdog, the IGAI, has opened an inquiry, while prosecutors have launched a separate investigation into officers’ conduct. Protesters see the camps as a symbol of the crisis itself: people sleeping in tents because they cannot find or afford a home.
Part of a wider European fight
Lisbon is not alone. Similar protests over housing shortages and surging rents have taken place in Spain and elsewhere in Europe. Cities with strong job markets and limited housing face the same pattern: prices rise faster than wages, young workers are squeezed hardest, and governments face pressure to build more, regulate rents, or both.
What happens next
Three tracks will decide where this goes: the budget debate, the evictions bill, and the two inquiries into the weekend operations. Protesters have shown they can fill the streets at short notice. Whether that pressure turns into policy change will depend on the weeks ahead. For the young people who marched, every month of high rents is a month of savings lost and plans delayed.
FAQs
Why did thousands protest in Lisbon on October 27?
They rallied against the housing crisis and recent police operations against housing activists, while lawmakers debated the draft 2027 budget.
How much have Portugal’s house prices risen?
House prices have more than doubled since 2017, and rents on new leases have nearly doubled, while wages have not kept up.
What does the contested bill propose?
It would speed up evictions and end rent caps on new leases. It passed a first reading with Chega abstaining. Protesters want it scrapped.
What happened to the tent camps?
Police dismantled camps in Lisbon and Porto on Sunday, using batons. The IGAI watchdog and prosecutors have opened separate inquiries.
Lisbon’s message on Tuesday was hard to miss: a home should not be a luxury. Portugal will now decide whether it answers that message with new policy or with more of the same.
