Tens of thousands march in Portuguese cities against surging home prices

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Tens of thousands of people marched in more than 30 cities and towns across Portugal on Saturday in the biggest protest so far against surging housing prices that many complain have put owning or renting a home beyond their reach.

The housing crisis has brought weeks of demonstrations, with some activists camping out in main downtown squares in Lisbon and Porto, Portugal’s capital and its second-largest city. Riot police with dogs have broken up some of the protests, bringing accusations of heavy-handed tactics.

Protests in recent weeks took their cue from demonstrations that began in neighboring Spain last month over similar complaints about unaffordable housing. European countries have witnessed widespread social unrest in the streets this autumn.

Saturday’s protests in Portugal took place under the slogan, “We won’t let them steal our right to housing.” Participants walking behind large banners and flags ranged from teenagers to retired people, with the Lisbon march punctuated by drums, music and chanting.

Activists want ceilings placed on rent increases, greater legal protection for tenants against eviction, and more affordable housing.

House prices in Portugal have risen much faster than incomes, statistics show.

Between 2015 and 2025, Portugal posted the biggest jump in the European Union in the home price-to-income ratio, with an increase of 61%, followed by the Netherlands with 34%, the EU statistical office Eurostat said last week.

There is no indication that the rise in housing costs is slowing. Between the first quarter of last year and the first quarter of 2026, housing prices rose by almost 20%, the National Statistics Institute, a government agency, said last month.

Rental prices, too, have climbed significantly, recording a 68% increase since 2020, according to the government.

Foreign buyers and investment funds have fueled price rises by buying Portuguese real estate. The country’s mild climate and long coastline have helped it grow popular with digital nomads and other remote workers, as well as retirees. Tourism has also surged, with many city center apartments switched to short-term rentals.

The government has responded with measures such as lowering taxes on new construction, restricting short-term rentals and promising to build 145,000 new homes. But it acknowledges that the effects won’t be immediate.

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.