Key facts
- Thousands protested in Lisbon on Saturday over a proposed rental bill.
- Protesters demand the government scrap the bill, which they say will worsen the housing crisis.
- The bill would make evictions easier and end rent caps on new leases.
- Prime Minister Luis Montenegro is open to amending the bill but not scrapping it.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Lisbon's Rossio Square on Saturday, intensifying pressure on the minority center-right government to withdraw a rental bill. Organizers reported several thousand people in attendance. The protests come amid one of Europe's worst housing crises, with house prices and rents having significantly increased since 2017. The proposed bill, which passed a first parliamentary reading, aims to make evictions easier and end rent caps on new leases. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro stated he is open to amending the bill but not scrapping it, while opposition leaders called for dialogue.