Thousands March in Lisbon Against Rent Reform Bill Allowing Termination After Two Months of Arrears
Thousands of people marched around Rossio Square in Portugal's capital, Lisbon, on October 31 in protest against the government's proposed rental reform bill — the latest in GSM's follow-up coverage of the bill.
The disputed proposal, Bill 103/XVII, has as its core clause that a landlord may terminate a lease once rent is two months in arrears; the current threshold is three months. The bill passed its first reading in parliament on September 30, with the far-right party Chega abstaining.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro refused on October 29 to withdraw the bill, but said amendments could be discussed. Protesters demanded its withdrawal, arguing that with house prices and rents already high, shortening the termination threshold would push more tenants toward eviction.
Eurostat figures show Portuguese house prices rose 16.5 percent year on year in the second quarter of this year, the fastest increase in the European Union. Housing costs have been among Portugal's most closely watched household issues in recent years.
A rally on the same theme was also held in Porto the same day.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：里斯本 Rossio 广场，10月31日游行的举行地。摄影 David Broad，CC BY，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Rossio Square in Lisbon, where the October 31 march was held. Photo by David Broad, CC BY, via Wikimedia Commons.
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