The Portuguese go to the polls this Sunday, January 18, to vote in the 2026 presidential elections. There are 11 candidates for the Presidency of the Republic, who share a common concern: solving the housing access crisis in Portugal. However, they defend different ways of addressing this problem. Find out who the candidates in the presidential elections are and what they think about housing in this article prepared by idealista/news.
On January 18, 2026, the country will be called upon to elect the next President of the Republic, with a list of 11 candidates validated by the Constitutional Court. The candidate who manages to gather more than 50% of the validly cast votes will be elected, that is, who obtains an absolute majority — a scenario that the most recent projections have ruled out.
Everything therefore indicates that there will be a second round in the 2026 presidential elections, in which only the two most voted candidates on Sunday will compete. In this second round, scheduled for Sunday, February 8, the candidate who obtains the highest number of votes will be elected as the new President of the Republic.
To help you choose the next President of the Republic, who will succeed Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa as Head of State and represent the country over the next five years, idealista/news prepared this article, which provides a brief profile of each candidate for Belém and summarizes what they advocate in the area of housing and real estate. This comes at a time when the country is immersed in a housing access crisis marked by scarce supply and high prices, with social, economic and political effects.
Luís Marques Mendes
António José Seguro
Cotrim Figueiredo
André Ventura
Gouveia e Melo
António Filipe
Catarina Martins
Jorge Pinto
André Pestana
Humberto Correia
Manuel João Vieira
Luís Marques Mendes
Marques Mendes candidate for the 2026 presidential elections
Luís Marques Mendes, candidate supported by the PSD and CDS-PP Getty Images
Luís Marques Mendes, 68, is the candidate supported by the PSD and CDS-PP. He was born in Azurém, Guimarães, in 1957 and graduated in Law from the University of Coimbra. At the age of 19, while still a student, he became vice-president of the Municipal Council of Fafe, the city where he grew up. He was a Member of Parliament, Secretary of State, Minister and leader of the PSD, as well as a television commentator on SIC from 2013 until he entered the race for Belém.
One of the focuses of his campaign for the 2026 presidential elections is housing. “My priority at this moment is, for example, housing. Particularly for young people. In 2001, 64% of young people owned their own home. By 2017, and from then on, this had been reduced to practically 24%,” he said in a debate on RTP, citing a study by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
Regarding the current housing strategy of Montenegro’s Government, Marques Mendes considers that the measures are positive but insufficient. “The Government’s strategy to accelerate construction is right, but since building takes years, it is necessary to find an interim solution, because people cannot endure five years without housing or at the prices we have,” said the former PSD leader.
In this sense, the candidate for Belém believes it is necessary to “mobilize the rental market while it takes time to build new homes,” calling for the creation of conditions of stability and predictability in the rules, so that more owners are encouraged to put homes on the rental market.
He also recalled that the President of the Republic cannot directly solve the housing problem. “The President does, however, have a great margin for maneuver, especially in the ability to influence the situation and decision-making,” said Marques Mendes, recalling that this can be done through conversations with the Prime Minister or by sending messages to Parliament, advocating consensus solutions rather than institutional confrontation.
António José Seguro
António José Seguro candidate for the 2026 presidential elections
António José Seguro, candidate supported by the PS Getty Images
António José Seguro, 63, is the candidate for the Presidency of the Republic supported by the PS. Born in 1962 in Penamacor, he holds a master’s degree in Political Science from ISCTE-IUL and a degree in International Relations from the Autonomous University of Lisbon. He has been a PS member since a young age, having been part of several socialist governments, a Member of Parliament and a Member of the European Parliament.
For the candidate for Belém, housing is one of the social problems that needs a response. In a message left on the occasion of the Republic Implantation Day, October 5, Seguro criticized the “unaffordable rents and house prices” that affect families’ lives.
Regarding the demolition of precarious housing (for example in Loures), Seguro called for responses that ensure people are not left homeless and that public policies are “decided with the head, but executed with heart” in order to protect those in vulnerable situations.
Throughout his campaign for the 2026 presidential elections, Seguro has emphasized that the focus of his candidacy is on solving the country’s real problems — including housing — through institutional dialogue and political pressure, stressing that “interests stay at the door.” He also guaranteed that “constitutional revision is not a priority for the country,” considering that parties should focus on solving problems in health and housing.
Cotrim Figueiredo
Cotrim Figueiredo candidate for the 2026 presidential elections
João Cotrim Figueiredo, candidate supported by the Liberal Initiative Getty Images
João Cotrim Figueiredo, 64, is the candidate supported by the Liberal Initiative. Born in 1961 in Lisbon, Cotrim Figueiredo graduated in Management in London and was a manager for most of his life until he entered politics six years ago. In 2019, he became the first Liberal Initiative MP to enter the Assembly of the Republic and is currently a Member of the European Parliament for the same party.
For the presidential candidate, the housing crisis in Portugal has structural causes related to supply and demand, and the response must involve significantly increasing house construction in the country. “We need to build between 550,000 and 700,000 new housing units, but currently only 20,000 homes are built per year,” warned the former liberal leader.
He also rejected the idea that foreigners or short-term rental (Alojamento Local) are responsible for the escalation of house prices. “In the last ten years, foreigners who bought homes in Portugal do not reach 100,000, and there are around 92,000 AL licenses. In a housing stock of 6.4 million homes, that is a drop in the ocean,” he argued.
Although he cannot legislate directly, the liberal candidate stresses that the President of the Republic can draw public attention to the housing issue and pressure government bodies to act to resolve the problem. The President’s role should be to “ensure that these issues do not disappear from the public debate,” he stated.
André Ventura
André Ventura candidate for the Presidency of the Republic
André Ventura, candidate supported by Chega Getty Images
André Ventura, 42, is the leader of Chega, the party he helped found in 2019. A native of Algueirão-Mem Martins, in the municipality of Sintra, Ventura graduated in Law from the NOVA University of Lisbon and earned a PhD in the same field from the University of Cork, in Ireland. He became known as a sports commentator on CMTV and later for being elected to the Assembly of the Republic as a Chega MP. He has already run for the Presidency of the Republic in 2021.
Throughout his campaign, André Ventura has placed housing as a priority, calling for greater investment in public housing, including for the middle class that faces difficulties in the real estate market due to high prices.
He has also defended that housing expenses (such as rent or mortgage payments) should have greater deductibility in IRS (personal income tax). “We need to help people so that the expenses they have with housing can be deducted more in IRS. What they can deduct today is a pittance, when family housing expenses are enormous,” Ventura stated.
André Ventura also acknowledged that some government proposals on housing, namely regarding the reduction of bureaucracy, are in the right direction, although he considers them “absolutely insufficient” to effectively tackle the housing crisis. It should be recalled that the Government’s housing tax package received approval in Parliament last Friday, January 9, thanks to Chega’s abstention.
Gouveia e Melo
Gouveia e Melo independent candidate for the Presidency of the Republic
Henrique Gouveia e Melo, independent candidate Getty Images
Henrique Gouveia e Melo, 65, is an independent candidate for the Presidency of the Republic. He was born in Mozambique and entered the Naval Academy in 1979. He had a long military career until becoming Chief of Staff of the Navy in December 2021. He became widely known for coordinating the vaccination campaign during the Covid-19 pandemic. He is currently a retired admiral.
From early on, Gouveia e Melo recognized housing as one of the “serious problems” of Portuguese society, warning that the housing crisis affects social cohesion. During his presidential campaign, the admiral praised modular construction projects in Lisbon, which he pointed to as a “sign of hope” in addressing the housing crisis.
Regarding the housing tax package, Gouveia e Melo considered that the “Government is on the right path,” because it is promoting construction and also encouraging owners to place homes on the rental market. “It is multifactorial, all of these things have to be done at the same time, and it seems very good to me that these things are being done because it is a problem that we will all have to solve,” he added.
In the area of housing, the President of the Republic can “give focus to good solutions and give hope to the country, because there are solutions that can solve our problem,” he believes.
António Filipe
António Filipe candidate for the Presidency of the Republic
António Filipe, candidate supported by the PCP Getty Images
António Filipe Rodrigues, 62, is running for the Presidency of the Republic with the support of the PCP. Born in 1963 in Amadora, district of Lisbon, António Filipe holds a degree and a PhD in Law and has a political career spanning almost 50 years, most of it in the Assembly of the Republic and in service of the PCP.
Housing is a topic that concerns candidate António Filipe, who considers it unacceptable “that it is not possible in Portugal to find decent housing at prices that Portuguese salaries can afford,” he said, quoted by RTP. The key to resolving the issue lies in “strong public intervention,” namely “in regulating the rental market, limiting speculation in rent increases and ensuring some stability in renting,” said the PCP-backed candidate.
Recently, António Filipe stated that “the future of our young people cannot be forced emigration due to low wages, precariousness and the denial of the right to housing.”
Catarina Martins
Catarina Martins candidate for the 2026 presidential elections
Catarina Martins, candidate supported by the Left Bloc Getty Images
Catarina Martins, 52, is the only female candidate for Belém and is supported by the Left Bloc (BE). She was born in Porto in 1973, initially studied Law at university but later switched to Modern Languages and Literatures. She was an actress and founded a theatre company before entering politics. She was leader and MP for the BE for several years and currently represents the party in the European Parliament.
The Left Bloc MEP promises to be an “emergency brake” in the housing crisis if elected President of the Republic. Catarina Martins considers housing a “regime issue,” because “people must be able to access housing with the salaries they earn,” accusing the Government of worsening the problem, she said, quoted by Rádio Renascença.
Regarding the Government’s tax package approved in Parliament, Catarina Martins said she was “shocked” to see the “Minister of Finance arguing that 2,300 euros can be a rent with a tax perk for being moderate.” She also assured that she will not promulgate “any decree that says that a moderate rent is 2,300 euros.”
Jorge Pinto
Jorge Pinto candidate for President of the Republic
Jorge Pinto, candidate supported by Livre Wikimedia Commons
Jorge Pinto, 38, is the candidate supported by Livre and the youngest of all. He was born in Amarante, district of Porto, in 1987. He holds a degree in Environmental Engineering and a PhD in Social and Political Philosophy. He lived in several countries such as Lithuania, India, France, Italy and Belgium. He helped found Livre in 2014, after having been a member of the PS.
In his New Year message, Jorge Pinto stated that in Portugal “we must finally be able to realize the right to housing at a fair price that people can afford,” indicating that he wants to be the President of “hope and optimism.”
If elected President of the Republic, Jorge Pinto promises to meet with the Government, municipalities and Regional Coordination and Development Commissions (CCDR) to draw up a complete inventory of public land and buildings that can be used to “create quality public housing at affordable prices,” according to the newspaper As Beiras.
In his campaign, the presidential candidate supported by Livre also suggested that the Head of State can invite political power and citizens to “rethink housing cooperatives,” recalling that this model has already served to respond to the “tragic problems” that emerged after April 25, the same newspaper reports.
André Pestana
André Pestana, independent candidate for the Presidency of the Republic
André Pestana, independent candidate Getty Images
André Pestana, 48, is an independent candidate for the Presidency of the Republic. A native of Coimbra, André Pestana became known for school strikes in 2022/2023, as the face of the Union of All Education Professionals (S.T.O.P.). He is a Biology and Geology teacher and has been part of the Portuguese Communist Youth (JCP), the BE and later MAS, later interrupting his party membership.
Housing has appeared in André Pestana’s discourse not as an isolated problem, but as part of a set of social rights that should be guaranteed by the State (including health, education and decent work). “We have thousands and thousands of wages, of our citizens (…) that do not allow for decent food and housing,” he said, quoted by RTP.
For the right to housing, André Pestana defends “social housing with affordable rents for all, capped at a maximum of 30% effort rate, in relation to respective salaries/income,” according to his program.
If elected President of the Republic, André Pestana admits that he would prioritize the Constitution, considering that the State has the obligation to guarantee housing.
Humberto Correia
Humberto Correia, independent candidate in the 2026 presidential elections
Humberto Correia, independent candidate Creative Commons
Humberto Correia, 65, is a painter and independent candidate for Belém. Born in 1961 in the municipality of Olhão, district of Faro, where he lives, Humberto Correia emigrated to France, where he worked for about a decade in various factories and 15 years in civil construction. He returned to Portugal in 2003 and dedicated himself to painting on the streets of downtown Faro for 20 years. In 2017, he was a candidate for the Faro City Council.
For Humberto Correia, the current housing crisis is “the biggest problem” in the country. “People, even when working, cannot pay rent. In fact, it’s not a problem, it’s a disaster,” he warned. If elected on January 18, he wants to “enforce compliance with Article 65 of the Constitution, which is about housing.”
Humberto Correia defends more social housing built by the State. “If elected, the Government, regardless of its political color, will have to build 100,000 social housing units per year,” destined for young people, single mothers, victims of domestic violence and pensioners with low incomes, he specified. Rents would vary according to size, with a 30 square meter (m²) home costing 90 euros per month and an 80 m² home costing 240 euros.
Asked about the possibility of requesting the Government to implement this proposal if elected, Humberto Correia stated that “the President has what is called the magistracy of influence and the media,” and these would be “the two pillars” that would allow pressure to be applied for the measure to be carried out.
Manuel João Vieira
Manuel João Vieira, independent candidate for President of the Republic
Manuel João Vieira, independent candidate Getty Images
Manuel João Vieira, 63, is a musician and visual artist and an independent candidate for the Presidency of the Republic. A well-known entertainment figure for several decades, he was born in 1962 in Lisbon, studied Illustration at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts of Lisbon in 1988. He was the leader of Ena Pá 2000, a band characterized by absurd humor, which he also uses in his campaign.
In his view, politics and art should be more closely linked. And perhaps that is why Manuel João Vieira has adopted a discourse between serious and satirical, insisting on the promise to “only give up if elected.” Among the proposals he presents, Vieira promises piped wine in all homes and bagaceira fountains in the streets, Russian skaters for all men, Cuban dancers for all women and a Ferrari for every Portuguese citizen.
In a debate focused on housing on Antena 1, Manuel João Vieira stated that “the country needs more spontaneity” and emphasized that his inexperience “is the highest qualification to govern.” In a more serious tone, the candidate admitted that the State must guarantee the right to housing to all Portuguese.