Portugal's housing minister says government legislates for protesters and silent majority

Minister answers the protests in parliament

On Monday, 2 November, Miguel Pinto Luz, minister of infrastructure and housing, appeared before the parliamentary budget committee to discuss the 2027 State Budget (OE2027). Housing protests have spread across the country, with camps in Lisbon and Porto and demands for rent ceilings tied to incomes. The minister acknowledged the reasons behind the demonstrations while arguing that protesters are only part of the picture. He said many people who do not take to the streets are also struggling to find a home, and he presented the government as listening to both groups.

“Today, a minority of the country is demonstrating, but I do not forget the majority that is silent.”

Rent law and the Chega talks

The government says it is confident that Chega will back the revision of the rental law, and it describes Chega's conditions as fully compatible with its own policy. Chega deputy Francisco Gomes asked whether the government would support lowering the ceiling for a moderate rent from €2,300 to €1,500, and Pinto Luz did not open the door to that change, though he did not reject it outright. He defended the government's own initiative by pointing to a landlord who charges €2,600 and has every incentive to cut the rent to €2,300, gaining a tax benefit while the tenant also benefits. The minister also accepted a review of deposits (cauções) as part of the bill.

“We are not legislating only for those in the streets. There is a silent majority at home that also suffers.”

Current threshold2,300

Chega proposal1,500

Current threshold

2300 euros

Chega proposal

1500 euros

Data from the article text

Public housing and the 2027 budget

The minister said the 2027 budget includes more than €2 billion for housing, which he framed as a firm commitment even with little recovery-plan money left. He said the government wants to speed up the handover to municipalities of about 83,000 state properties, although one headline gives 87,000. Of those, 30,000 are rural and cannot be used as housing, according to the minister. He estimated that from 2031 between 70,000 and 80,000 homes a year could be built, and he said that private investment alone will not solve the crisis.

Total state properties83,000

Of which rural, not usable for housing30,000

Total state properties

83000 properties

Of which rural, not usable for housing

30000 properties

Data from the article text

Opposition proposals and party clashes

Livre deputy Jorge Pinto asked whether the government would change the law to guarantee inclusive zoning, tax vacant properties through an extra IMI surcharge and revise tax policies that Livre says are heating the market. Livre also proposed a public housing fund to double the share of public housing from 2% to 4% within 10 years. The minister replied that such a fund already exists and that moving from 2% to 4% is already the government's ambition, pointing to local housing strategies and public-private partnerships. He said the government is always available to discuss Livre's proposals in a serious way, and he attacked the Socialist Party in the same session.

“This Socialist Party is bad for democracy.”