Former Portuguese president Aníbal Cavaco Silva defended the government’s handling of demonstrations over housing at a State Council meeting, warning that failures to manage protests could undermine the authority of the state. He argued that radical left-wing groups were using the demonstrations for political purposes and criticised what he described as serious instances of disrespect towards the authorities.
Other members of the State Council focused more on finding solutions to the housing crisis than on police action, according to Observador. The report said there was no tension between President António José Seguro and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro during the meeting.
The government expects time to work in its favour, with officials suggesting repeated demonstrations could eventually tire the media and public, or that protesters might lose control of their actions. A government source also said a decision by Lisbon’s Administrative Court could offer the executive a way out of the controversy.
PSD parliamentary leader Hugo Soares said the ruling allowed one tent in Rossio for a demonstration by Renata Câmara. He described the decision as an individual response to her request and said it should be respected. Câmara is politically active, he added.
There was no overnight encampment in Lisbon’s Rossio square after the ruling, although Câmara set up a tent symbolically. Protesters left shortly before 2 a.m. and said they planned to return that night. In Porto, demonstrators spent the night in 13 tents at Praça Dom João I. Police monitored the gathering without intervening. The movement welcomed the city mayor’s willingness to hold a public meeting but said conditions were not yet in place for one.
The broadcast also reported new US military strikes against Iran, including an attack on Qeshm Island, citing the Wall Street Journal and government sources. A White House source described the operation as defensive, saying it was intended to counter Iranian attacks on US assets and help secure the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes came hours before US midterm elections, in which voters were to decide control of Congress and elect governors in 36 states.
Sources: Observador.