LISBON — Thousands of housing protesters returned to one of Lisbon's main squares on Saturday, stepping up pressure on Portugal's minority centre-right government to scrap a rental bill they say would worsen the country's affordability crisis, Reuters reported from Lisbon. Organisers said several thousand people packed Rossio Square in central Lisbon; police gave no crowd estimate. The Portuguese outlet Jornalisa gave a more specific count for the start of the march, reporting that more than a thousand people gathered at Largo de Camões, in the Chiado district, from 4 p.m. on October 31, before marching to Rossio, where another overnight camp was planned.

Source: Reuters (Sergio Goncalves and Rodrigo Antunes), Lisbon, October 31, 2026

The Saturday march was the latest in a wave that began on October 10 in Porto and reached Lisbon on October 17, and it followed a harder-edged earlier development in the same square: a week ago, police baton-charged demonstrators and arrested dozens while clearing a similar tent camp in Rossio, and housing protests have intensified in recent weeks, Reuters reported. Protest actions were also held in Porto and other cities on Saturday, with assemblies in Braga, Faro and Beja, Jornalisa reported. Rita Silva, a spokesperson for the housing movement Casa para Viver, told public broadcaster RTP that "people are showing enormous perseverance, strength and determination" after weeks of protests, and added: "We are not seeing any willingness from the government to listen … the demonstrations will continue."

Source: Jornalisa (Portuguese), 'Housing demonstrations return to Lisbon and Porto', October 31, 2026

Several thousandPeople organisers said packed Rossio Square on Saturday, Reuters reported; police gave no estimate
1,000+People Jornalisa counted gathering at Largo de Camões from 4 p.m. before the march to Rossio
More than doubled since 2017How far Portugal's house prices have risen, Reuters reported; rents for new leases have nearly doubled
Sep 30When the rental bill passed its first parliamentary reading (generalidade), with Chega abstaining, Jornalisa reported

What the protesters want — and what the government says

The protesters are demanding the government scrap a bill that would make evictions easier and end rent caps on new leases. The bill passed a first parliamentary reading with the abstention of the far-right Chega party, and is now being discussed in committee; among its changes are ending the 2% brake on rent increases between contracts and cutting the arrears period that can trigger an eviction process from three months of rent to two, Jornalisa reported. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro on Thursday ruled out scrapping the bill but said he was open to amending it ahead of a final vote in coming weeks, saying parties "have to move closer" while making clear "the main line of action is the government's programme."

Source: Reuters (Sergio Goncalves and Rodrigo Antunes), Lisbon, October 31, 2026

Interior Minister Luís Neves said the government respected the legitimacy of the protests but expected them to be held "with order, civility" and "in compliance with the law," Reuters reported. Socialist Party leader José Luís Carneiro urged the government on Saturday to engage in talks with opposition parties and protesters rather than "arrogantly imposing its views, sometimes even with authoritarian overtones." Portugal is grappling with one of Europe's worst housing crises, with young people among those hardest hit, and the unrest mirrors protests across Spain, France, Germany and elsewhere in Europe over soaring housing costs, Reuters noted.

Source: Reuters (Sergio Goncalves and Rodrigo Antunes), Lisbon, October 31, 2026