Lisbon resident Maria Teresa Faleiro becomes symbol of housing protest

Maria Teresa Faleiro, an 81-year-old resident of Lisbon, has become a symbol of resistance during national protests against the rising cost of living. Faleiro, who has lived in her home in the Arroios parish for over two decades, faces eviction by November 6 following a court ruling after her landlords declined to renew her contract.

Faleiro joined demonstrations organized by the General Confederation of the Portuguese Workers (CGTP) in Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra to highlight the housing crisis. Despite consistently paying her monthly rent of 724.11 euros, she expressed hopelessness regarding finding alternative housing, stating, “The elderly have no protection at all. This country is not for the elderly.”

The protests, which included the setting up of tents in Lisbon's Rossio square, aimed to demand public policy solutions for tenants and address the growing difficulties faced by elderly citizens in the current economic climate.