Mr. Gonçalves addressed a high-level seminar at the European Parliament titled “Housing in Europe: A home for all generations.” The event, held under Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), gathered Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), European Commissioners, and civil society representatives to explore long-term, inclusive solutions to the continent’s housing crisis.
Mr Gonçalves began by acknowledging the scale of the crisis, citing Eurostat data showing that house prices have risen 55.4% across the EU since 2010. In Portugal, the crisis is particularly acute, with prices increasing 120% nationally – and by an extraordinary 269% in Lisbon, where prices now reach €10,000 per square metre in the city’s most desirable neighbourhoods.
Leonel Gonçalves addressing the Article 17 Dialogue Seminar
He attributed this dramatic rise to a combination of successful urban renewal programmes, aggressive tourism promotion, and government incentives such as the Golden Visa and tax exemptions for foreign retirees. These policies, Gonçalves warned, have displaced local residents and made central areas unaffordable for essential workers and young people.
As a constructive counterpoint, Gonçalves introduced the municipality of Penamacor in central Portugal – a remote rural region that had suffered decades of depopulation. Since 2016, however, the area has experienced a quiet revival. Initially spurred by Brexit, British citizens began settling in Penamacor in search of affordable housing and a better quality of life. They were soon joined by other Europeans and North Americans, many of whom work remotely or have launched small-scale businesses in agriculture and traditional crafts.
Other panellists echoed the urgency of the housing crisis from diverse perspectives. Youth organisations stressed the exclusion of young people from home ownership and decision-making, while others raised the impact of housing insecurity on migrant communities and the elderly. Several speakers agreed that housing policy must be shaped with human dignity and social cohesion in mind, moving beyond market-driven logic.
Please see here for a recording of the event.
Photos by Alexis Haulot at European Parliament Multimedia.