Housing minister signals willingness to discuss rent law amid protests and parliamentary disputes

Police actions in Lisbon and Porto ended recent protest camps, with authorities citing the need to restore public order and warning against extremist elements. In Coimbra, the housing and infrastructure minister declared the government willing to renegotiate the rent law with the Socialist Party, rejecting claims that the law is inhumane. He stressed respect for the right to demonstrate while insisting illegal occupations will be met with security measures.

Opposition parties are active: Livre will appeal a parliamentary ruling that denied an urgent housing debate, and the Liberal Initiative has called for an open meeting of all parliamentary leaders to seek consensus. The Socialist Party's secretary-general criticized the rent law as unjust, while other parties, including the PCP and Chega, voiced varied positions on the legislation and protest response.