Lisbon, Sept. 10, 2026 (Lusa) - The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) has called for a day of protest on 17 September against the rising cost of living, and in support of higher wages and pensions and price controls.
Communist leader Vasco Cardoso announced this initiative at a press conference at the PCP's national headquarters in Lisbon, during which he expressed concern about the European Central Bank's (ECB) decision to raise interest rates by 25 basis points, for the second time this year, to 2.50%.
«As part of the launch of a major national campaign that the PCP will be running from 17 September, we wish to mark that day with a series of initiatives, public forums, car rallies and outreach activities, to make it abundantly clear not only the PCP's position, but also a broader call for a positive new direction for Portugal, away from the current trend of national decline towards which the Government's policies and the ECB's decisions, such as the one taken today, are leading us,» he declared.
This will mark the start of a national campaign under the slogan ‘Ending injustices, a new direction for Portugal, a better life', promoting ‘affordable living and demanding action on higher wages and pensions and price controls', said the leader of the Political Commission of the PCP's Central Committee.
«The ECB's decision, supposedly to prevent higher inflation caused in particular by rising energy prices, is, in our view, wrong. It penalises, as it always does, workers and their families for the impacts of a war which, whether in the Middle East or in Eastern Europe, is fuelled by the European Union's own institutions,» he commented.
According to the PCP, the ECB's decision makes «workers and the people pay for the choices leading to the escalation of confrontation promoted by US imperialism, with the support of the EU, but also with the support of the PSD and CDS government and those in Portugal who fall in line with the drums of war».
In response to the rising cost of living, and in the face of «scandalous profits» made by oil companies, large food retailers and the banking sector, the PCP is calling for «a different policy», which involves «a general increase in wages, including the national minimum wage» and «an interim increase of €50 in all pensions, with back pay from July».
Furthermore, the PCP wants «government intervention and action by the Caixa Geral de Depósitos to enforce a reduction in interest rates and bank charges» and «regulation of housing rents», as well as «regulation of fuel prices» and «setting the price of bottled gas at €20».
Among other measures, the PCP also wants «a 6% VAT rate on energy, as well as the regulation of prices for essential foodstuffs», and «non-repayable grants for the economic sectors hardest hit by rising fuel and gas prices».
«As for the PCP, not only will we turn these demands into proposals in the parliament, but we have already taken the initiative to propose a debate in the European Parliament on the rise in interest rates, and we will also organise awareness-raising and protest actions in response to the rising cost of living,» said Vasco Cardoso.
When asked about the measures announced by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro on Tuesday, the PCP leader praised the decision to provide a one-off supplement for pensioners and expressed hope that future adjustments will incorporate any increase directly into the value of pensions; regarding the reduction in personal income tax (IRS), he said his party was awaiting «the details» of that measure.
«But we have seen many changes to personal income tax. Wages remain low. And I think that is the fundamental issue before us: we need a significant increase in wages, particularly the national minimum wage,» he added.
Vasco Cardoso maintained that the PSD/CDS-PP Government is «serving the interests of business groups» and «will do everything to limit wage increases», and argued that this will have to be a «struggle by the workers, undoubtedly with the action and initiative of the PCP».
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