Almost 50 Portuguese figures from left and right urge a housing debate over police response

A cross-party appeal on housing

A manifesto titled 'Isto ainda é sobre casas para viver' was published on 3 November, bearing the signatures of almost 50 public figures from the left and right. The count varies by outlet: Expresso reports 46 signatories, Observador lists 48 names and says some invitations are still pending, and Público gives both more than 45 and almost 50. Signatories named in coverage include Ana Gomes, David Justino, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, José Pacheco Pereira, Fernando Negrão, António Capucho and Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos, the former CDS-PP leader who is also one of the promoters. The other named promoter is Pedro Costa, a national official of the PS.

The government accused of policing over housing

The signatories argue that the government appears more committed to repressing protest than to solving the housing crisis that fuels it. They say the debate has moved from housing to public order, and that the focus on the police response lets a government that owes explanations for its choices change the subject. The manifesto holds that security forces must respect the right to demonstrate and use force only as far as necessary. It places responsibility for the political response on Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and Interior Minister Luís Neves rather than on police officers. The signatories say they have not forgotten what happened at the housing demonstrations in Porto and Lisbon.

What the manifesto describes

The text opens by reminding the government that the housing crisis affects more and more people. It describes graduates with degrees and jobs who still live with their parents, families forced to live far from work, and students who abandon their studies in other cities because they cannot afford a room. Many, it says, live in fear of losing their homes. Homes are no longer chosen for their proximity to work, school or city centres, the manifesto argues, so people now live wherever they can pay the rent. Its central claim is that too many people in Portugal work every day and still cannot afford a home.

Promoters want the debate back on housing

Pedro Costa told Observador that the initiative aims to refocus the debate on housing, which he described as the first big victory of opening that debate. He said the manifesto also seeks to show that people can disagree on every solution yet agree on the priority, and can find paths already identified by international organisations. Fellow promoter Maria Castello Branco said the focus needs to return to the essentials at this moment. She argued that the weeks before had concentrated attention on police action and public order, a debate she said favours parties that do not want to solve problems.

“It is necessary to refocus on the issue that led to these demonstrations, which everyone considers legitimate: housing.”

She also said the right to demonstrate and the right to housing can both be discussed, because the basic problem is that people do not have a home.