Portugal's PS leader José Luís Carneiro warns of rising housing costs and looming ECB rate hike

Socialist Party secretary‑general José Luís Carneiro told reporters in Setúbal that the European Central Bank is set to decide on an interest‑rate increase, saying, “Hoje, o Banco Central Europeu vai decidir sobre o aumento das taxas de juro…”. He warned that the move will add to already eight consecutive months of rising housing payments, squeezing families and young people already hit by higher food, fuel, electricity and gas prices.

Carneiro urged the Portuguese government to adopt the Socialist Party’s proposals to blunt the impact of the Middle‑East war on inflation and cost of living, and to treat housing as a fundamental right. He also highlighted the EU’s own housing crisis, noting the European Fundamental Rights Agency’s report of a 53.4 % surge in housing prices and growing homelessness across member states.