Thousands protest housing and cost of living in Portugal and France

Thousands of demonstrators marched through Lisbon and Porto on November 15 to protest the housing crisis in Portugal. Simultaneously, massive demonstrations regarding the cost of living and housing continued in France, marking the fifth consecutive Saturday of protests in the country.

Housing protests in Portugal

In Portugal, the Casa para Viver movement organized marches in both Lisbon and Porto to address the ongoing housing crisis. In Porto, the demonstration began at 16:00 from Jardim do Marquês and proceeded toward Praça Dom João I.

During the demonstrations, Filipe Pereira, the leader of the CGTP in Porto, criticized claims made by Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel. The minister had suggested that large crowds were not being seen during the protests. Filipe Pereira stated that the government is trying to divert attention by claiming there are no large crowds, which is like throwing sand in people's eyes.

Demonstrations across France

French authorities mobilized up to 70,000 police and gendarmes to manage protests occurring on Saturday, November 14. The French Ministry of the Interior reported that approximately 106,000 people protested across various cities. Of those, the ministry reported 24,000 protesters were in Paris.

However, student union estimates provided a significantly higher scale of participation. Student unions estimated that 200,000 people participated in the protests across France, with 100,000 protesters located in Paris. These demonstrations in France began in mid-September 2026, initially starting in high schools in the Paris suburbs. The movement has involved the Yellow Vests movement and various youth organizations.

Government response and wages

To address rising cost-of-living concerns, the French government announced a 1.6% increase in the minimum wage. This increase is scheduled to take effect on December 1, 2026. Under this new policy, the net minimum wage in France will rise to 1,502 euros, representing an increase of 23.65 euros.

The announced wage increase has faced criticism from labor representatives. Sophie Binet, the General Secretary of the CGT, noted that the 23.65 euro minimum wage increase only accounts for the automatic increase planned for January 1. The protests in France have continued for five consecutive weeks as citizens demand relief from economic pressures.

Glossary

• Casa para Viver — Casa para Viver is a platform that includes various organizations such as trade unions, tenants unions, and municipal groups. It organizes marches to address the ongoing housing crisis.
• CGTP — The CGTP is a union organization. Its leader in Porto is Filipe Pereira.
• Yellow Vests movement — The Yellow Vests movement is a grassroots movement that originated on social media. It is characterized as being largely apolitical.