Portuguese cities today protest for the “right to live”

Mais of 30 cities in Portugal today leave the street for the "right to live", within the national demonstration called by the platform Casa Para Viver, which requires the reversal of the new rental law, among other measures.

“They will not rob us of the right to live” is the common motto of the 32 protests for the right to housing that will take place in Angra do Heroísmo, Aveiro, Beja, Braga, Bragança, Castelo Branco, Caldas da Rainha, Coimbra, Covilhã, Évora, Faro, Funchal (morning concentration and afternoon demonstration, Grândola, Guarda, Guimarães, Horta, Leiria, Lisbon, Marinha Grande, Nazaré, Ponta Delgada, Portalegre, Portimão, Samora Correia, Santarém, Setúbal, Sines, Torres Novas, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real and Viseu.

According to Rita Silva, one of the spokespersons of Casa Para Viver, this accession shows that the housing crisis “is not just a problem of Lisbon and Porto”, but has an impact at national level.

The proposal for a government law to change the urban lease regime – approved in general, with the vote in favour of PSD, IL and CDS-PP and the abstention of Aquisa – paves the way for more flexible contracts and faster evictions.

The theme of the housing crisis is not “passenger”, but a problem that “continues to exist”, so “it is very important that people remain on the street”, Rita Silva, an activist for the right to housing and social economist, appealed to Lusa.

“ A fair housing policy will not fall from the sky, allowing us, everyone, to have access to housing, it will depend on our stay in the streets ", he recalled.

To the housing policies adopted by the Government, Casa Para Viver, a platform that brings together a hundred associations and collectives for housing and has already mobilized thousands of people on the streets on several dates, over the last three years, counterproposes more regulation: of rents, contracts, evictions, return homes, local housing, property speculation.

BE, Livre and PCP invited representatives of the House to Live for meetings, which took place this week, being scheduled for the next meetings with PAN and PS. Government and PSD have not yet responded to the request for a platform meeting, according to Lusa André Escoval, another spokesman.

The President of the Republic, António José Seguro, called representatives of Casa Para Viver and also of the Camps of Lisbon and Porto for a meeting that took place on Friday.

On behalf of the House To Live, André Escoval emphasized that the meeting with the head of state was “for the political signal” of António José Seguro to the Assembly of the Republic.

“The Prime Minister cannot continue to flee” and “must follow the President’s example,” he urged, on leaving the meeting, warning that “not pacifying the country, this is a fight that will continue” in the streets.

The movements of the Campadas, which began in Porto on October 10, and then expanded to Lisbon, with concentrations also in other cities, have already reported that they will join the initiative of Casa Para Viver.

“The fight is not over. From Porto to Lisbon, we continue to occupy the streets, to make our voices heard and to demand answers to a crisis that expels people from their homes and their cities”, announced the “block” of the Camps.

In Lisbon, Leiria and Coimbra the demonstrations will be followed by concerts. In the case of the capital, this will happen in Martim Moniz, with the performances of The Girl No, Pedro Mafama, Peste&Sida, Jhon Douglas+Luca Algiers, Ghoya, Femme Falafel, Darksunn+John Pestana and Collective Torna Travel.