Livre Party Demands National Survey on Eviction Risks Amid Housing Crisis
The Livre political party has formally requested the Portuguese Government to conduct an urgent and 'exhaustive survey' to identify the number of people who have been evicted or are currently at risk of eviction. The official proposal was submitted to the Assembly of the Republic on Tuesday as a Project of Resolution, condemning what the party calls the Government's 'lack of political will' in addressing the nation's 'tragic and unsustainable' housing crisis. This initiative aims to gather critical data on the scale of housing insecurity affecting the country.
In a statement to the newspaper Expresso, Livre deputy Jorge Pinto articulated the core purpose of the resolution. He stated that the party's primary objective is to quantify the number of households in precarious housing situations to enable the creation of a targeted and effective public policy response. 'This can be summarized in two things,' Mr. Pinto remarked. 'We want the number of at-risk situations to be quantified, and we want that information to be used to provide a response to these urgent situations that are increasing in the country.' The resolution contains eight distinct points intended to guide the government's actions.
The proposed survey is positioned as a foundational step toward developing immediate and structural solutions to the housing affordability and availability challenges that have become more pronounced in recent years. The party argues that without a clear, data-driven understanding of the problem's magnitude, any governmental measures would be insufficient. The resolution suggests that the findings should be used to direct social support, plan for expansions of public housing, and inform potential legislative changes regarding tenant rights and eviction processes. The political pressure comes as reports of steep rent increases and a shrinking long-term rental market continue to dominate public discourse.
This formal request from Livre introduces a new dynamic into the ongoing political debate surrounding Portugal's housing policy. While the government has introduced several measures aimed at tackling the crisis, critics, including Livre, argue that these have not been sufficient to protect the most vulnerable segments of the population. The call for a comprehensive, official count of those affected by housing instability is designed to force a more direct confrontation with the issue's human impact. The response from the governing coalition and the Minister of Housing will be closely monitored by social organizations and opposition parties.
The resolution does not specify the methodology for the survey but calls for it to be carried out with urgency, reflecting the party's view that the situation requires immediate intervention. The outcome of this political maneuver could influence future legislative agendas concerning the real estate market, particularly rental contracts and social housing provisions. The debate in the Assembly of the Republic on this resolution is expected to draw significant attention from various sectors, given the widespread concern over housing costs across Portugal.
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