PSD defends the rent law and offers talks

Alexandre Poço, vice-president of the PSD, said on Tuesday, 20 October, that the government's proposal to amend the rent law must move ahead. He said the current law does not work and that people over 65 are protected in the new proposal, which would also create a new state emergency housing fund to ensure nobody is left without a home. Poço said the PSD is ready to negotiate new housing solutions that complement the government's three objectives, and he described Parliament as the most suitable forum for them. He also said the party would honour its agreement with Chega and take the bill to the specialty phase, where it would be discussed in detail. He accused the Socialists of a lack of decorum for criticising the housing crisis after eight years in which house prices rose, and said the PSD has been working on the issue since 2024. He acknowledged that prices are still rising and that the government's measures have not yet produced results, arguing their effects cannot be felt overnight. Poço framed the party's stance as a matter of keeping its word. He put the PSD's position plainly:

“We are fully available to talk with the other parties.”

PS asks for withdrawal as Chega sets conditions

The PS secretary-general José Luís Carneiro asked the prime minister to drop the rent law, calling it unjust and inhumane, and proposed a public guarantee to protect young people, middle-class families and older people. Luís Testa, the PS parliamentary vice-president, told Parliament that the PSD's explanations were the excuses of a bad payer and said that finding a flat in Lisbon now costs more than in Madrid or Barcelona. Testa also accused Chega of constant zigzags, saying its proposals could change from morning to afternoon. Chega's leader André Ventura said his party would help approve PS proposals in a joint effort and was willing to back a PS plan to exempt from capital gains tax the sale of homes up to 300,000 euros, a measure he called a sign of goodwill with a residual impact. He said there are only two ways to support tenants whose effort rate has passed 60%: direct support, or an IRS deduction. Ventura insisted these solutions must be written into the State Budget, and warned that Chega could change its vote if the bill is not altered in the specialty phase. He put the demand this way:

“It is now in the State Budget that we have to help people.”

Minister sees room for revision

Miguel Pinto Luz, minister of housing and infrastructure, spoke to reporters in Coimbra after handing over 72 homes at the Quinta das Bicas social housing development in Taveiro. He said the government is open to revising the rent law with the PS, while rejecting the idea that the law is inhumane. He said he did not want to clash with Carneiro and stressed that the government must find consensus with everyone, including the PS. Pinto Luz repeated the commitment to 40,000 homes by December and 50,000 in 2027. He also said the new rent law is not yet in force, so it cannot have pushed prices up. He appealed to all parties in these words:

“Let's join hands and find solutions to the problem.”

Parliament procedure and the IL invitation

Livre will appeal to the plenary a decision by Parliament president José Pedro Aguiar-Branco to reject an urgent housing debate it had requested for Wednesday, on the grounds that the interval between urgency debates was not respected. Spokesman Jorge Pinto said the appeal will be presented at the start of Wednesday's session, the only plenary day this week, so that a government member can attend, which is mandatory. Livre called the IL's invitation to all parliamentary leaders at least ironic, noting that the IL backed the government's rental regime. IL president Mariana Leitão announced the invitation for an open and frank conversation on housing. PCP parliamentary leader Paula Santos confirmed her party will not attend, saying there is no possible meeting point with the liberals. Separately, the PSP dismantled two protest encampments in Lisbon and Porto, and Pinto Luz said anyone protesting has every right to do so.

Housing figures cited by the government

Poço said the government has allocated 10,700 million euros to build 133,000 homes, and that 31,700 have already been built. He expects that number to rise to 40,000 by the end of the year. He also said 83,000 state properties have been inventoried so far. Poço framed the plan around three objectives: more supply, using what has already been built, and support for those who need it most.

Built so far31,700

Target by end of 202640,000

Planned total133,000

Built so far

31700 homes

Target by end of 2026

40000 homes

Planned total

133000 homes

Data from the article text

What comes next

The new licensing regime for construction has been in force since 1 October, Poço said, as part of the push to speed up building. President of the Republic on Monday, 19 October, appealed for a broad agreement between the government and the opposition on urgent housing measures. The debate on Livre's appeal is set for Wednesday, 21 October, when the bill's specialty phase and Chega's conditions will remain the main points of contention.