Portugal's Prime Minister urges EU action on cost-of-living to curb far-right surge

At a parliamentary session in Strasbourg, Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro urged European lawmakers to act on the cost-of-living emergency, linking it to the rise of far-right populism. He promoted looser housing rules, tax incentives for builders, and measures to cut fuel prices while prioritising the energy transition. Montenegro highlighted the threat of voters abandoning mainstream parties for groups like Chega, which currently polls near the Socialist Party.

He defended Portugal's strict migration stance and called for increased EU funding for less-affluent regions in the next budget. Opposition MEPs, including Chega's António Tânger Corrêa and left-wing Catarina Martins, challenged his proposals on energy security and rent affordability. Montenegro concluded that EU-level deregulation would amplify national efforts, referencing the EU Commission’s Affordable Housing Act as a useful complement.