The Portuguese Parliament convened today to discuss legislative proposals from the PSD, Chega, IL, and a resolution from CDS-PP, aimed at criminalizing illegal house occupation, increasing penalties, and streamlining eviction procedures.
Currently, the illegal occupation of property is criminalized under the Penal Code but only when the invasion involves “violence or serious threat.”
At the outset of the debate, Chega leader André Ventura argued that the “criminal mentality of the post-April 25” era still persists, evolving with “new forms and new faces.” Ventura declared this a “historical injustice” and a “massive attack on property tolerated by the PS and promoted by the far-left,” emphasizing that “those who occupy houses are criminals, and criminals belong in prison.”
Hugo Carneiro of the PSD highlighted a “legal loophole,” noting that occupiers “take advantage of the owner’s absence” to occupy properties non-violently. He suggested the law should criminalize such actions, even without violence.
Hugo Carneiro criticized the Chega and IL proposals for potential “constitutional, proportionality, and judicial access” issues but expressed openness to “in-depth debate” to find a “constitutionally sound, proportional solution that respects fundamental and human rights” to address these abuses definitively.
Socialist André Rijo stated that criminal statistics do not show significant data on this issue, considering illegal housing occupation “minimal,” and argued against “excessively harsh” penalties.
Rijo criticized the debate’s foundation in “populist agenda clientele” rather than the country’s reality, accusing the right of legislating based on perceptions, which he termed “penalist populism.” Nonetheless, the Socialists are open to working on the PSD’s proposal during the specialty stage.
The PS’s stance also drew criticism from the CDS’s João Almeida, who found the dismissal of a constitutional right infringement “shocking.”
The Livre’s Rui Tavares accused PSD, IL, and CDS of following “a perception created by Chega and entirely false,” suggesting harsher penalties if those parties agreed to double the property tax for unoccupied homes.
PSD parliamentary leader Hugo Soares claimed it “should outrage and shock the Portuguese” that the left believes legislation is unnecessary as such occurrences are rare.
IL’s outgoing leader Rui Rocha announced the party would endorse all proposals in discussion to reject “all forms of occupation-Leninism.”
In a debate frequently interrupted by parliamentary remarks, the PCP’s parliamentary leader stated the party “does not condone” illegal occupations, considering them isolated and resulting from the housing crisis.
BE coordinator Mariana Mortágua accused PSD of becoming a “caricature of the right,” seeking solutions to the housing crisis. Meanwhile, PAN spokesperson Inês de Sousa Real argued against “dehumanizing” the problem by “chasing populism.”
