Lobo-Antunes

‘I don’t write the books, it’s my own hand working independently’

“A revolutionary in Portuguese literature
A psychiatrist never considering being anything else than a writer
A writer marked by the colonial war in Angola
A colonial war that brought ‘ghosts’ and ‘death’ to his work
It wasn’t Lobo Antunes who lost the Nobel Prize, the Nobel Prize lost him
Writing as a ‘virus’ and a generation that is ‘passing away’
His exhilarating novels forced Portugal to confront its darkest moments.”

António Lobo Antunes – one of the most important voices in modern Portuguese literature who died on the 5th of March at the age of 83 – published 41 books, 32 of which are novels. His books often resist straightforward plot, instead unfolding through overlapping monologues in which multiple voices circle the same events from different angles.

He was the second Portuguese writer – after Fernando Pessoa – to be included in the prestigious Bibliothèque de la Pléiade and several times nominated for the Nobel Prize, which he never received.

His exacting modernistic style provoked a lifelong controversy between him and that other icon of the Portuguese literature – José Saramago – who did win the Nobel Prize in 1998.
However, many in Portugal felt the honour had gone to the wrong writer.

He was trained as a psychiatrist, worked in the Miguel Bombarda hospital in Lisbon and wrote in the evenings. From 1971 to 1973 he served as an army doctor in Angola. His experience during Portugal’s brutal colonial war marked him profoundly and the war’s moral disorientation and emotional wreckage would haunt much of his fiction.

His first novels – Elephant’s Memory and South of Nowhere – both published in 1979 – drew on his experiences as a young doctor navigating the political and personal upheavals of post-revolutionary Portugal, and brought him instant acclaim.

In South of Nowhere (Os Cus de Judas), a veteran addresses his blood-soaked memories to a silent woman in a Lisbon bar, but in fact directed at a Portugal that has all but forgotten its war crimes.

But it was his magnum opus Fado Alexandrino (1983) – capturing the generation’s disillusionment with the colonial war – that confirmed his status as a major literary voice. In novels such as The Inquisitor’s Manuel (1996) and The Splendour of Portugal (1997), he explored the lingering shadows of colonialism, the hypocrisy of the Portuguese elite and the dysfunction of family life.

Act of the Damned (1985) is set in the aftermath of the 1974 Carnation Revolution that saw the end of dictator Salazar’s Estado Novo regime. The book inhabits the minds of a landed aristocratic family as they congregate at the deathbed of its patriarch, keen on their inheritance. Meanwhile, communists are baying for blood, and the family must flee.

Through widely acclaimed internationally and translated into many languages. Lobo Antunes remained relatively little known in the English-speaking world. He is survived by his third wife, his three daughters and his three brothers

Enjoy your week         Aproveite a semana             (pic Publico/Sapo)





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Coffee

qahwa -kaffa – kahve –capha- cafeh – caffé – café – koffie – coffy – coffee

The origin of the word coffee is probably derived from Kaffa, the name of an Ethiopian kingdom in the 15th century. At that time in Yemen a beverage was prepared from a plant of Ethiopian origin, which proved to be useful to keep the Sufi mystics awake for praying at night. The word used for the beverage was qahwah, and considering that the plant came from Kaffa, it is not unreasonable to think that there would be a relationship.

Etymologists, however, are inclined to consider the word being a derivation from a word that meant ‘wine’ in Arabic. A non-alcoholic wine; the perfect solution for Muslims who needed a stimulant but were not allowed to drink alcohol.
Coffee sales were centred in the Yemeni city of Moca and spread from there throughout the Arabian Peninsula.

In the 16th century, the governor of Yemen, Ozdemir Pasha, took the coffee to the court of Suleiman the Magnificent, and from then on coffee became popular in Istanbul, and thereafter in the entire Ottoman Empire, under the Turkish Ottoman name kahve.
Cafés were booming in the capital, and the sultan introduced coffee masters in his court. Anyone who wanted to be someone in the Empire had to have at least someone who knew how to prepare good coffee; nowadays called baristas!

From Istanbul, it wasn’t difficult for the beverage to reach Venice, one of the biggest trade centres in the world. There might have been those who thought it a little suspicious for Christians to drink a Muslim beverage but when beverage coming from the depths of Arabia delighted the palate of the Pope, no Christian hesitated to have a coffee, which the Italians called caffè.

The popularity of coffee thereafter spread across the capitals of Europe, and finally arrived in Paris, where it ended up being one of the central elements of the city’s identity under the French name café, the same name also used for the beverage in Portugal, where the first coffee roasters appeared in Lisbon in the 17th century.

But there was – besides the southern route across land via Istanbul – a second northern route through which the habit of drinking coffee spread throughout the continent, in a similar way as tea was introduced in Europe. And once again, Dutch ships were involved, which transported the product directly from Yemen to the UK.

In 1652, the first English coffeeshop was opened in Oxford and soon after coffee shops expanded as popular meeting points in London. Unlike the word café – which came via the South – the word coffee comes from the Dutch word koffie.

The word espresso comes from the machine that, from the mid-20th century onwards, was used to create espresso coffee. Previously, the beverage was prepared in the Turkish way, mixing the ground beans with boiled water. Now, with the machine, the coffee is prepared with hot water passing under pressure over the ground beans and running through a small spout (called bica) into the cup.

In Portugal, the usual word to ask for an espresso is the word café (or bica).
So, whoever asks for café – just like that – is asking for an espresso.

Enjoy the week                                                 Approveite a semana




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Zé-Povinho

‘Zé Povinho looks from one side to the other, and stays – as always – the same’

Zé (abbreviation from José) Povinho (‘little people’) is a caricature of the Portuguese everyman, created by Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro – journalist, socialist,  publisher of satirical newspapers, and ceramist – in the second half of the 19th century.


The figure became a symbol of the Portuguese working-class people, critiquing in a humorous way the main social, political and economic problems in the Portuguese society.

The cartoon made its first appearance in the newspaper A Laterna Mágica (the Magic Lantern) in 1875. Zé Povinho is often depicted with his mouth open and not intervening, resigning when faced with injustice or corruption and unaware of the big issues in the country. He is an expression of the common, simple man.

He became a popular figure of the Portuguese people in the tri-dimensional ceramic form made by the Bordalo Pinheiro factory in Caldas da Rainha – 75 km north of Lisbon – that is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.

The Bordalo Pinheiro museum in Lisbon opened an exhibition last week commemorating the anniversary of the creation of the character Zé Povinho by visual artist Bordalo Pinheiro (1846-1905).

The exhibition (until September 6) is entitled TOMA! – referring to the figure’s characteristic gesture of the arm, representing his revolt and insolence – and presents 400 Zés Povinhos created over one and a half century.

The collection brings together pieces by various artists, from its creator to well-known contemporary artists and anonymous potters in the most surprising materials; from glass to magazine covers and textiles.

The museum director, João Alpuim Bothelho, emphasizes that Bordalo Pinheiro’s humour always has a political touch but is not populist and that Zé Povinho is a ‘universal figure’ due to his essence, giving as an example the many foreign visitors who find a parallel figure in their own home countries.

Enjoy your week                   Aproveite a semana                (pic Lusa/Sapo)

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Presidency

‘We need a country that is prepared, not surprised’ (President elect)

In spite of the unprecedented floods and landslides as a result of the last two weeks’ train of storms, people turned out in surprising numbers for the presidential elections last Sunday. The former Socialist leader António José Seguro got 67% of the vote – almost twice as many as his rival, Chega leader and far-right populist André Ventura – and more than any other president before him.

Even in areas where voting has been delayed due to the bad weather and lack of conditions to open polling stations – comprising approximately 0.3% of the electorate – Seguro was the most voted candidate.

In less than three weeks, mainland Portugal has been raided by six storms – Ingrid, Joseph, Chandra, Kristin, Leonardo and Marta – which were accompanied by heavy rainfall. The damage caused by the extreme weather already amounts to more than 4 billion euros, and so far 15 people have lost their lives during this national calamity.

But it’s not over yet. The continuing rain and rising river levels – especially of the Tejo, Douro and Mondego –  are leading to extensive flooding and landslides, as a result of the completely saturated soils. These extreme events will occur with greater violence because of the climate crisis, which leads to warmer atmospheres and oceans.

A recent report of the McKinsey Global Institute concluded that a quarter of the country is currently exposed to climate risks – floods, forest fires and drought – and that the government will need to invest double the amount it currently spends on climate resilience.

Although Portugal’s presidency is a largely ceremonial role, it holds some key powers, including the ability to dissolve parliament under certain circumstances, to call snap elections, and to veto legislation.

The longstanding moderate socialist Seguro – who paradoxically has won the support of mainstream politicians on the right wanting to halt the rising populist tide – assured the Portuguese, however, that he has no interest in changing he constitution, in increasing the president’s powers, nor in dissolving the current minority government.

Last May, the far-right Chega party became the second largest parliamentary force, overtaking the Socialists and landing behind the centre-right ruling alliance, which garnered 31.2%.
‘With more than 32% of the vote this month, Chega managed to exceed the government’s share of the vote, reinforcing Ventura’s project to cannibalise the rightwing space in the country.

Keep your feet dry         Mantenha os pés secos (pic Público/Sapo)

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Guimarães

We are not a perfect city, but definitely on the right track’ (Guimarães 26)

Guimarães – just 65 km inland from Porto – has been elected European Green Capital 2026, the second Portuguese city to win the title after Lisbon in 2020.  

The European Green Capital Award – organized by the European Commission – recognizes and rewards local efforts to improve the environment and the quality of life in cities. Tangible results include 600,000 euros in financial support, which will be used for sustainable projects.

The town is considered to be the birthplace of Portugal because it was here that Afonso Henriques – the first king of Portugal- was born. Founded in the 10th century, the historic centre became the first capital of Portugal in the 12th century.

Its historic centre is extremely well-preserved and an authentic example of the evolution of a medieval settlement into a modern town. Its rich building typology exemplifies the development of Portuguese architecture from the 15th to the 19th  centuries.

A particular type of construction was developed in the Middle Ages, featuring a ground floor in granite with a timbered-framed structure above. A technique that was later transmitted to the Portuguese colonies in Africa and the New World.

Today this historic city has evolved into a beacon of cultural and environmental excellence, mixing its rich heritage with forward-thinking commitment to sustainability, which was embraced as a cornerstone of its local culture. Innovative businesses are increasingly aligning with the city’s environmentally conscious policies.

Designated a UNESCO Heritage Site in 2001, Guimarães has since then earned prestigious titles: European Capital of Culture (2012), European City of Sport (2013) and most sustainable municipality in Portugal for three consecutive years. These achievements underscore the city’s innovative spirit despite its modest and relatively young (nearly half under 30 years) population of 157.000 residents.

The municipal ecological footprint initiative serves as a guiding framework, steering Guimarães toward becoming a ‘One-Planet City’ and a member of Zero Waste Europe. Meanwhile, the city has pioneered groundbreaking strategies such as PAYT (Pay-As-You-Throw). Over 95% of its residents assess the air quality as good or very good.

Wander newly created green city oases and artfully repurposed heritage buildings, or stroll along the banks of restored riverbanks, with a fleet of electric buses linking together the historic palaces and futuristic galleries. The British broadcaster BBC recently highlighted this green and confident city as one of the best places to visit in 2026.

The opening ceremony of the European Green Capital 26 took place on the 9th of January, and during the year various events are planned, from the Spring Festival (in March 21-22) and the Green Week Guimarães (in June 4-7) to the National Urban Cleaning Meeting (in September 8-10).

Enjoy the festivities         Aproveite as festividades        (Pic Sapo/Unesco)

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Navigator

He championed navigation but never actually sailed on any voyages himself

Prince Henry of Portugal (1394-1460), better known as Henry the Navigator, was a central figure in the 15th-century Portuguese maritime exploration and regarded as the main initiator of what would be known as the Age of Discovery. He was the third surviving son of King John I of Portugal and his wife Philippa of Lancaster, sister of King Henry IV of England.

This royal alliance strengthened ties between Portugal and England, still the world oldest continuous treaty. Prince Henry became a statesman, but his passion was exploration. However, Henry was not an explorer himself but a patron and visionary who financed and organized expeditions. Under his direction, Madeira and the Azores were discovered, and the groundwork laid for future discoveries.  

Prince Henry was 21 when he, his father and his brothers conquered the Moorish port of Ceuta (northern Morocco), a base for Barbary pirates who raided the Portuguese coast and captured their inhabitants to be sold in the African slave trade.

Following this success, Henry began to explore the coast of Africa in order to find the source of the West African Gold trade. At that time, cargo ships were too slow and heavy to undertake such voyages. Under his direction, a much lighter, faster and highly manoeuvrable ship was developed – the caravel.

Both Sagres and Lagos have strong ties to Prince Henry. At Sagres, the windy southwestern tip of Europe – once called ‘o Fim do Mundo’ (the End of the World) – he established his base, where cartographers, astronomers and navigators refined maps and exchanged ideas.

The port of Lagos proved to be convenient for his expeditions. Most of the voyages sent out by Henry consisted of one or two caravels that navigated by following the African coast. Lagos also had its darker side. In 1444, the first cargo of enslaved Africans arrived in Europe’s first slave market.

At the age of 26, he was appointed as the Governor of the Military Order of Christ, the Portuguese successor to the Knights Templar, which had its headquarters at Tomar in central Portugal. Henry’s work was financed through profits from the Order of Christ, which inherited the Templars’ vast wealth. The red cross that adorned Portuguese sails comes from this order.

During Prince Henry’s time, the Portuguese navigators perfected the North Atlantic ‘return from the sea’ (volta do mar), the dependable pattern of trade winds blowing largely from the east near the equator and the returning westerlies in the mid-Atlantic. This was a major step in the history of navigation. Understanding oceanic wind patterns became crucial in enabling the main route between the New World and Europe.

Portuguese mariners who sailed south and southwest toward the Canary Islands and West Africa would afterwards sail far to the northwest – away from continental Portugal and seemingly in the wrong direction – before turning northeast near the Azores islands and finally east to Europe in order to fully utilize the prevailing winds for their journey.

That time, Cape Bojador was the most southern point known to Europeans on the coast of Africa. Although superstitious sailors believed that beyond the cape lay the end of the world, Prince Henry was determined to know the truth. He sent 15 unsuccessful expeditions over a ten-year period before finally succeeding in passing the Cape, circumventing the Muslim land-based gold and slave trade across the western Sahara. This rerouting of trade made Portugal rich.

Henry’s died with doubts as to whether a sea route could be found to the Far East, but his work paid off when Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1488. Subsequently, Vasco da Gama arrived in India in 1498, Pedro Álvares Cabral discovered Brazil in 1500, and Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition completed the first circumnavigation of the globe in 1521.

All of this stemmed from Prince Henry’s investment in ships, knowledge and charts, which led to the foundation of Portugal’s maritime supremacy.
That’s why he is depicted in the front of the Monument of the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos ) located on the edge of the Tagus river in Lisbon.

Happy reading                                                         Boas leituras


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Brazilians

‘We hope a presidential candidate who includes everyone, will win’

The year 2025 was marked by setbacks in immigration issues, says Ana Paula Costa – president of the Casa do Brasil (Brazil’s House) in Lisbon – to newspaper Público. ‘We had a very difficult year in terms of narrative, legislation and integration of immigrants, not just for the Brazilian community.

‘Attacks of xenophobia and racism were unfortunately mainly directed to Asians and Roma but of course, the Brazilian community – being the largest in terms of numbers (nearly half a million Brazilians i.e. circa 5% of the Portuguese population) – was also greatly affected by this rhetoric’, she adds.

‘The impact of the rhetoric – in particular by André Ventura, chairman of the far-right party Chega – is direct on public services, on the way people are treated on a daily basis, on their rights and access. Immigration has been highly politicized in public discourse, and in a very negative way.’

In 2022, the Commission for Equality and against Discrimination (CICDR) reported that cases of xenophobia against Brazilians had increased exponentially, with reports of confrontations such as ‘it’s not my problem if you don’t know how to speak Portuguese’, ‘Brazilian women come here to steal our husbands’ and ‘you don’t understand anything, you’re stupid.’

A study by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation, published in 2024, indicated that five out of ten Portuguese citizens want the Brazilian presence in Portugal to decrease.  

With the presidential elections later this month, Costa hopes that the Portuguese will elect someone who ‘values the rule of law, respects people and includes everyone in his mandate, as this is fundamental for democracy.’

In her assessment, the changes to the Foreigners Act (Lei de Estrangeiros) and the proposed amendments to the Nationality Act (Lei da Nacionalidade) have a clear objective of reducing the influx of immigrants. ‘The centre-right government demonstrates this on the argument of immigrant deregulation and lack of administrative capacity.’

‘But immigration was not deregulated,’ she explains! ‘Since the 1980’s we have had immigrant regulations in Portugal. And from an administrative capacity point of view, what happened is poor public administration, as is reflected in other public services, such as social security, health, housing and education, where there has been no investment over the years to enable people to exercise their rights, such as the right to obtain a valid residence permit in time.   

‘In fact, this is a much bigger issue: there has been no investment whatsoever in the immigration service, and last year this has created huge administrative problems, especially in the transition from the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF)to the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA).’

So, less bureaucracy in public services, more recognition of the importance of immigrants, better regularization of immigration, less hate speech, and more jobs, political awareness, respect for fellow citizens and protection for women.
That’s the 2026 wish list of Brazilians in Portugal.


Happy New Year          Feliz Ano Novo             (Pic Público/Sapo)



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Elephants

‘We cared for her for over 13 years, and she will be hugely missed, but we could not see her living alone any longer’ – Antwerp’s zoo director.

Kariba, a female elephant from the zoo in Antwerp, Belgium will be the first resident to arrive at a new large-scale sanctuary being created on land located in the Alentejo – i.e. in the municipalities of Vila Viçosa and Alandroal.

‘We expect Kariba to arrive early next year,’ revealed Kate Moore, the managing director of the non-profit organization Pangae.
The elephant came from Zimbabwe to Europe, where she lived the last 40 years in various zoos, but will end up living her final years in the sanctuary

Regarding the budget, the director said that – over approximately 10 years – the organization expects to invest 15 million euros.

Pangea was set up to solve a practical problem. Over 600 elephants are living in captivity across Europe. Most EU states have banned the use of elephants in circuses and zoos, yet without sanctuary space, they are hard to implement. Lack of alternatives means that the animals languish alone or in unsuitable conditions for years on end.

‘Elephants are deeply intelligent, sentient and social. Their needs are complex, and when not met, they suffer,’ emphasizes the director.
‘Our mission is to provide lifelong sanctuary with both specialist care and a space to live with dignity and autonomy in the most natural surroundings possible.’  

Miguel Repas, the organization’s technical consultant, explains that the reserve will provide the animals with ‘tranquillity, peace and freedom,’ and therefore will not be open to the public. However, programs for schools are planned, and a so-called ‘discovery centre’ will be created, offering experiences and interactions with elephants

Remembering that the sanctuary’s future guests ‘have never had contact with nature’, the biologist stressed, and that the animals will ‘have to relearn how to live in the wild and socialize’ with other elephants.
The sanctuary will have stables to house the elephants, a central support services area and fences capable to withstand a load of 60 tons.

The two mayors from Vila Viçosa and Alandroal welcome the initiative and the opportunities it brings.‘This is a project the Alentejo can be proud of. Pangea benefits not only elephants but our communities too: new jobs, business for local suppliers and visitors to the region.’

With an estate of 1,000 acres, this will be the first large-scale reserve in Europe for elephants that lived in captivity, with a capacity for up to 30 animals.


Boas Festas                                 Happy Holiday     (pic Luso/Sapo)









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Nicholas

Patron saint of children, sailors and the poor

Nicholas (270 – 343 AD) was born in the third century in the region of Lycia. At that time, the area was Greek but is now called Demre, situated on the southern coast of Turkey. He was made Bishop of Myra – the metropolis of Lycia – while still young. The oldest source of his life is the Praxis de stratelatis – written around 337 – which can be translated as ‘the officers’ adventure.’

The Greek bishop became known for his generosity, his love for children and his concern of sailors. He died on the 6th of December, 336 AD in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church. In 1087 – due to war in the area- concerned Christians moved his relics to Bari, a seaport on the southeast coast of Italy, where they are kept in the Basilica di San Nicola.

Throughout the centuries, many legends have been told about him. One miracle story tells about a poor man with three daughters. In those days, a young woman’s father had to offer prospective husbands something of value to offer, a dowry.

To save the girls from being sold into servitude, St Nicholas tossed three bags of gold into the shoes of the daughters – left before the fire to dry – providing the desperately needed dowries. This led to the custom of children putting out their shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from St Nicholas.

Another legend tells of three students travelling to Athens. A wicked innkeeper robbed and murdered them, preserving their remains in brine. Nicholas, traveling along the same route, dreamed of the crime and prayed to God to return them to life.

Elsewhere, the story is told about three small children who were lost, lured and killed by an evil butcher. St Nicholas appeared and prayed to God to restore them to life. This made St Nicholas the patron and protector of students and children.

One of the stories about St Nicholas and the sea goes as follows. Returning by sea – after making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land – a mighty storm threatened to wreck the ship. Nicholas prayed. The terrified sailors were amazed when the wind and waves suddenly calmed, sparing them all. That’s why St Nicholas also became the patron saint of sailors and travellers.

Other stories mention Nicholas saving people from famine and saving lives of innocent people from unjust execution.
Within a century of his death, he was celebrated as a saint.

As his popularity spread during the Middle Ages, thousands of churches in Europe were named after him, including 22 in Portugal. The São Nicolau church in Lisbon was built between 1209 and 1229 and is located in the Baixa, between the Rua da Prata and de Rua dos Douradores.

The anniversary of his death – on December 6th – is widely celebrated in Europe. In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas ‘arrives’ each year in mid-November on a steamboat from Spain and rides on a white horse. An elderly man with white hair and a long beard. He wears a long red cape, dons a red mitre and holds a long ceremonial shepard’s staff with a fancy curled top.

In the weeks before the 6th of December, he is said to ride his horse over rooftops at night, delivering presents through the chimney to the well-behaved children. Overnight, Dutch children leave carrots and apples in their shoes for the saint’s horse, hoping the good saint will exchange them for sweets or small gifts.

On December 5th – the eve of the feast day – St Nicholas is celebrated by sharing candies (thrown into the living room), chocolate initial letters, surprise gifts with humorous rhymes and Sinterklaas songs. Parents and family ‘fool’ the children into thinking that Sinterklaas has really given them presents

In the 1600s, Dutch settlers brought ‘Sinterklaas’ to New Amsterdam (nowadays New York), linguistically evolving into ‘Santa Claus.’ Although connected, they are not the same figure.

Santa Claus ( also known as Santa) is a modern, mythical secular evolution of the historical Christian saint, appearing in American print by the late 1700s.
A plump, joyful, nocturnal gift-bringer with a deep, hearty laugh, depicted in a fur-rimmed red suit and a red hat, who flies over rooftops in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer and bringing presents on Christmas Eve.
Also in Portugal, but then as Pai Natal (Father Christmas).


Boas Festas                                                                Happy Holidays  


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Habitation

Today, Lisbon tops Europe’s housing unaffordability ranking

Unaffordable house prices and rents are a continent-wide concern. Over the past decade, house prices in the EU rose by 50% on average, and rents by 18%. Housing policy has favoured those who invest in homes at the cost of those who live in them. Across Europe, property has become a driving force of inequality.

During that same period, Lisbon has undergone a dramatic transformation, from one of the most affordable capitals in Europe to one of the most unaffordable. House prices rose by more than 200% in its central historical district. This trend is extending to the national level. In 2015, Portugal ranked 22nd out of 27 EU countries for housing unaffordability. Today it ranks first!

To understand how Lisbon reached this point, we have to go back to the 2008 global financial crisis, after which the country embraced a strategy of aggressive liberalization, in order to entice foreign real estate investment.

Rental laws were relaxed, making evictions easier and tenancy agreements shorter. Generous tax-incentives were introduced for non-resident buyers, including the controversial ‘golden visa’ and ‘non-habitual resident’ programmes.  At the same time, both the hotel industry and the short-term rental sector were promoted.

In the historic centre of Lisbon, Airbnb rentals have reached dramatic levels: half of all homes hold a short-term licence, and in the most tourist-saturated neighbourhoods, that figure even climbs to 70%.

When measured against the city population, this number represents a density 6 times higher than in Barcelona and 3 times higher than in London. Meanwhile, the number of hotels has tripled – from around 100 to 300 – and there already exist approved plans for 50 more.    

These changes happened in a global context of low interest rates in which affluent people increasingly turned to housing as a place to park their savings. Storing of wealth in housing drives up prices; the medium of transactions made by foreign buyers in Lisbon is 80% higher than the price paid by domestic buyers, whereas the country stands out for its overvaluation of house prices by 35%.

The result is a city that welcomes foreign wealth but excludes many of its own citizens, prioritizing the desires of the global consumers over the needs of the local community. Beyond an increasing number of tourists, central Lisbon is now primarily occupied by a transnational class of mobile young professionals and digital nomads from other countries, whereas local middle-class people are being pushed out to the suburbs or forced to adapt by renting rooms instead of apartments.

At the same time, a growing share of the income – half of the Portuguese taxpayers earn less than 1000 euros a month – is being consumed by housing costs, deepening social inequality. Citizens in Lisbon spend the highest percentage of their salary on housing in the EU.

Contrary to the neoliberal myth that the market alone can meet the needs of the population, Lisbon offers another example of market failure, dividing society and fuelling the popularity of far-right parties like Chega.
‘ We’re running the risk of having the working and middle classes conclude that their democracies are incapable of solving their biggest problem,’ the mayor of Barcelona recently declared.

Happy reading                      Boas leituras                (Pic PtRes/Lusa)

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