Tens of thousands of people marched through more than 30 cities and towns across Portugal on Saturday, in the largest protest yet against soaring housing costs that many say have put buying or renting a home beyond their reach. The demonstrations, which took inspiration from protests that began in neighboring Spain last month, have fueled weeks of unrest, with activists camping in central squares in Lisbon and Porto, the country's two largest cities. Riot police with dogs have dispersed some protests, drawing accusations of heavy-handed tactics.

Marchers carried the slogan "We won't let them steal our right to housing," and participants ranged from teenagers to retirees. In Lisbon, drums, music and chants accompanied large banners and flags. Susana Pacheco, a 35-year-old data analyst who works part-time as an astrologer to help pay her mortgage, said she worried whether her younger sister could afford to move out of their parents' home. "I'm really worried about young people," Pacheco said. Ana Encarnação, 42, said "things have become intolerable," citing rising living costs and the widening gap between rich and poor.S2

Activists want ceilings on rent increases, greater legal protection for tenants against eviction, and more affordable housing. The pressure is backed by figures showing house prices have risen much faster than incomes. Between 2015 and 2025, Portugal posted the biggest jump in the European Union in the home price-to-income ratio, an increase of 61%, followed by the Netherlands with 34%, according to the EU statistical office Eurostat. Between the first quarter of last year and the first quarter of 2026, housing prices rose by almost 20%, the National Statistics Institute said. Rental prices have climbed 68% since 2020, according to the government.S2

Foreign buyers and investment funds have fueled price rises by buying Portuguese real estate, while the country's mild climate and long coastline have made it popular with digital nomads, remote workers and retirees. Tourism has also surged, with many city center apartments switched to short-term rentals. The government has responded by lowering taxes on new construction, restricting short-term rentals and promising to build 145,000 new homes, though it acknowledges the effects will not be immediate.S2

Portuguese President António José Seguro, whose role is mostly ceremonial but who wields political influence, convened a Council of State, an advisory body, to discuss the protests earlier this month, and met Friday with some of the protesters.S2