The Council of State is meeting today, 2 November, to discuss social cohesion, with debates likely to be dominated by the recent police interventions during housing protests.
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The Minister of Infrastructure and Housing stated he is open to negotiating housing policy proposals with the party Livre, following their inquiry during the State Budget 2027 debate. While the government maintains its existing housing agreement with the Chega party, the Minister highlighted that 47,000 non-PRR (Recovery and Resilience Plan) homes are currently funded for 2027, with over 11 billion euros mobilized for public housing construction and rehabilitation through 2030.
Protesters advocating for the right to housing are returning to Rossio in Lisbon this evening, 2 November, to mark what they consider a victory following recent demonstrations.
Official data for the first half of 2026 shows a 4.8% increase in general crime in PSP-patrolled areas of Castelo Branco and a 20.1% increase in GNR-patrolled areas compared to 2025. The rise in GNR areas is largely attributed to forest fires (arson) between March and June, while property crimes dominate PSP areas. Domestic violence cases also increased, with a rise in new reported cases and children needing support.