Key points
- Thousands gathered outside parliament in Lisbon on Tuesday 27 October 2026 as MPs debated the 2027 budget, in the latest of a wave of housing protests across Portugal, Reuters and the Associated Press reported.
- Home prices have more than doubled since 2017 and rents for new leases have nearly doubled, according to Reuters, leaving many households paying a full salary in rent.
- Protesters demand the government scrap a bill easing eviction rules and the cap on annual rent rises; the bill has passed its first reading, with the far-right Chega party abstaining.
- The number hurt when police cleared camps in Lisbon and Porto on Sunday 25 October is disputed: activists say around 60 people were injured, while police figures carried in news reports range from 7 minor injuries to 33 hurt; inquiries by the police watchdog and prosecutors are under way.
Thousands of people gathered outside Portugal's parliament in Lisbon on Tuesday as lawmakers debated the 2027 budget, in the latest protest against a housing crisis that has put homes out of reach for much of the population. The demonstration, outside the Assembly of the Republic at São Bento Palace, was called by the housing movement Casa para Viver, which had urged supporters to march on parliament on the day of the general budget vote. Read more: Mass protests sweep France as 410,000 march over living costs and school conditions
Reuters reported that home prices in Portugal have more than doubled since 2017, while rents for new leases have nearly doubled. Campaigners say the increases have left many households paying a whole salary in rent, and the movement's published demands include rent control, longer leases, limits on short-term rentals and a ban on evictions without alternative housing.
The immediate trigger is a government bill that would ease eviction rules and loosen the cap on annual rent rises. The bill has passed its first reading, with the far-right Chega party abstaining, according to news reports. Protesters want it scrapped. The prime minister says the changes will build trust between landlords and renters; critics say they leave tenants more exposed, Euronews reported.
The key figures
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Home prices since 2017 | More than doubled | Reuters |
| Rents for new leases since 2017 | Nearly doubled | Reuters |
| Injured in 25 October camp clearances, activists' figure | About 60 | Casa para Viver, via news reports |
| Injured, police figures carried in news reports | 7 minor to 33 hurt | Daily Guardian / Times Now |
| People treated in hospitals | 27 | CGTN |
| Arrests in Lisbon and Porto | 31 | Times Now, citing police |
| Bill's first reading | Passed; Chega abstained | Reuters / Associated Press |
How the weekend's clearances led to Tuesday's march
Tuesday's march followed a weekend of confrontation. On Sunday 25 October, police used baton charges to clear protest camps in Lisbon's Rossio Square and in Porto, where demonstrators had pitched tents to demand action on housing. Euronews reported that large crowds had already gathered peacefully in Rossio on 20 October, returned after the camp was cleared, and marched again on Saturday 24 October.
The clearances are now under scrutiny. Portugal's police watchdog, the IGAI, and public prosecutors have opened inquiries into the police operation, according to news reports. President Seguro condemned the clashes. Casa para Viver, which condemned what it called police brutality against protesters in Rossio, has called further mobilisations, including another demonstration outside parliament and one on 14 November.
What the bill would change
The bill at the centre of the protests would change the leasing law by making it easier for landlords to evict tenants who fail to pay and by easing the annual cap on rent rises, according to Euronews reporting on the government's plans. The prime minister says the changes will build trust between landlords and renters. Critics say they leave tenants more exposed, and the movement says the proposal amounts to an attack on tenants.
The vote on the bill is tied to the wider budget debate. Tuesday's demonstration was timed for the day of the general vote on the state budget, when the government's spending plans — and its housing policy with them — face parliament. The first reading has passed; what happens in the final vote will decide whether the eviction and rent-cap changes become law.
What happens next
Three things will decide where this goes next: the final parliamentary vote on the bill, the findings of the IGAI and prosecutors' inquiries into the 25 October clearances, and whether the movement's planned demonstrations — including the one called for 14 November — draw crowds on the scale of Tuesday's march. Europe Unfolded will report the vote, the inquiry findings and the next mobilisation when they are confirmed, not the rumours that precede them.
Updates & corrections
Published 28 October 2026.
No updates or corrections have been made to this article since publication.
Sources
- Reuters, 27 October 2026, on the parliament rally, prices more than doubling since 2017, rents nearly doubling, the 25 October camp clearances and the inquiries: reuters.com
- Associated Press, via Bastille Post, 27 October 2026, on thousands gathering outside parliament as housing protests swell: bastillepost.com
- CGTN, 28 October 2026, on the Lisbon rally against soaring housing costs and hospitals treating 27 people: news.cgtn.com
- Daily Guardian, 27 October 2026, on the parliament protest and the disputed injury figures: dailyguardian.eu
- Euronews, 21 and 25 October 2026, on the Rossio gatherings and the camp clearances (via mirror): app.ekkow.com
- Times Now World, 26 October 2026, on police reporting 33 injuries and 31 arrests across Lisbon and Porto: youtube.com