Government admits to review rent law with the PS, rejects being “unfair”

O minister of Housing and Infrastructure admitted today, in Coimbra, openness to review rent law with the PS, but refused idea that it is inhuman.

“ We in the Assembly of the Republic have found consensus, sometimes on the left, sometimes on the right, on the theme A, on the theme B. And therefore, always with humility, we are available to do the whole debate ", said Miguel Pinto Luz, who answered about the opening of the Government to review the rent law with the PS.

The minister spoke to journalists after participating in the ceremony to deliver 72 housing in the social housing enterprise Quinta das Bicas, in Taveiro, in the municipality of Coimbra.

Minutes earlier, Pinto Luz refuted today's statements by PS Secretary-General José Luís Carneiro, who classified the rent law as "inhuman and unfair".

However, the Minister for Housing and Infrastructure said he did not want to “enter into disagreement with the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party”, arguing that the Government will have to find consensus with everyone, including the PS.

Pinto Luz's statements arise after an apparent retreat from the Aquis to the new rental law, which the party made possible in the general vote with its abstention.

“ I appeal here to all parties, to all parties. Let us stop finding more divisions where they do not exist. Let's stop finding sterile divisions. We'll find solutions. We will hold hands and find solutions to the problem”, said Miguel Pinto Luz.

For the member of the government, the executive led by Luís Montenegro has accelerated the “construction of public housing”, reaffirming the commitment to deliver 40,000 fires by December and reach 50,000 in 2027.

The housing minister considered that it is necessary to continue to increase the supply of public housing, refusing the idea that it is the laws recently passed by the government “that have raised prices”, recalling that the new rental law is not in force.

Asked about recent demonstrations in Porto and Lisbon around the housing crisis that affects the country, Miguel Pinto Luz stressed that those who manifest themselves have every right to manifest themselves, rejecting making “value judgments about the demonstration or about the agendas of the demonstration”.

“ As for the authorities, I have a word here. They have behaved absolutely excellently and have therefore behaved in a manner that they must, because we live in a rule of law. We have to make sure this rule of law works. We have to ensure that public order is maintained. The demonstrations were generally peaceful, but we live in a rule of law. Public space, that space, belongs to cities, belongs to citizens. And the authorities had to act”, he said.