Thousands of people gathered in major cities across Portugal on Saturday as part of a nationwide day of action protesting the deepening cost-of-living crisis. The demonstrations, which drew support from various housing rights movements and trade unions affiliated with the CGTP federation, highlighted widespread public anger over rising inflation, fuel prices, and a severe shortage of affordable housing.
Protesters marched under the slogan: "Higher wages, better pensions, and public services. Against the rising cost of living. A new course for Portugal!" Organized rallies took place in Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra, reflecting a broader wave of economic unrest currently sweeping through Europe.
In Porto, the march began at Praça da Batalha at approximately 10:30 am, heading toward Praça D. João I, where housing activists have been staging a week-long protest. Pedro Manuel, one of the city's organizers, noted that the movement is independent of political parties, stating, "We are continuing with our people's assembly, with the backing of ordinary citizens, independently of any party. People come from different groups, but we are not institutionally tied to any of them. This outcry is the result of abuse of authority and a way of saying 'enough of this crisis'."
The focus on housing was echoed by the Left Bloc's José Manuel Pureza, who emphasized that citizens are prioritizing the right to housing over other political debates. "There are those who want to drag us into debating other issues," he told the Associated Press. "But what people are demanding that we discuss is the right to housing for everyone. Those whose rent is getting ever more expensive, those whose mortgage is increasingly hard to fit into the family budget. That is what we are talking about, that is why people have been protesting, always peacefully, always peacefully."
In Coimbra, demonstrators marched from outside the Portugal dos Pequenitos park, concluding their rally at Praça 8 de Maio in front of the city hall. Meanwhile, in the capital Lisbon, thousands were expected to participate in a march beginning at 14:30 pm local time, starting in Cais do Sodré and ending in Rossio. Despite the scale of the protest, the mayor of Lisbon acknowledged the legitimacy of the cause, describing it as "a just cause," while warning that the demonstrations must take place "within the law."
CGTP general secretary Tiago Oliveira, speaking to the Lusa news agency, attributed the mass mobilization to the "brutal increase" in housing costs and the general cost of living. He further warned of the "degradation of public services," describing the protests as a necessary opportunity for citizens "to fight against the government's policies." The demonstrations in Portugal coincide with similar, though sometimes violent, cost-of-living protests occurring elsewhere in Europe, including France, where protesters clashed with riot police on Saturday.
