The left-wing BE political party in Portugal has defended the need for rent controls, and is also calling for a reduction of banks’ interest margins and a ban on the sale of houses to non-residents, as urgent solutions to lower housing prices in the country.

Speaking during the closing session of the Forum Socialism, which took place in Viseu, Mariana Mortágua, the national coordinator of the BE party, said that it is necessary to “control rents, with ceilings adjusted to each region, each type of property and, most important of all, adjusted to the salaries” paid in Portugal.

In her opinion, it is also necessary to “reduce the banks’ margin on interest”, since “profits of €5bn have been recorded in the last 18 months”.

Mortágua added: “Limit the interest rate increases to the effort rate of each family and then, finally, we will have justice with the banking system in Portugal.”

The leader of the left-party also said that it was necessary to “prohibit the sale of houses to non-residents”, with the exception of Portuguese emigrants, because this is inflating prices to “much above the wages paid in Portugal”.