Thousands of housing protesters returned to Lisbon's Rossio Square on Saturday, increasing pressure on Portugal's minority centre-right government to withdraw a rental bill they say would deepen the affordability crisis. Organisers said several thousand people attended, while police provided no crowd estimate. The bill would make evictions easier and end rent caps on new leases. House prices have more than doubled since 2017, while rents for new leases have nearly doubled, with young people among the most affected. The legislation passed a first parliamentary reading after the far-right Chega party abstained. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro has rejected scrapping it but said amendments could be considered before a final vote in the coming weeks. Interior Minister Luis Neves said the protests were legitimate but should be conducted in an orderly way and comply with the law. The demonstrations follow criticism of police baton charges and dozens of arrests during the removal of a similar tent camp in Rossio Square a week earlier. Rita Silva of housing movement Casa para Viver said protesters would continue because the government had shown no willingness to listen. The unrest forms part of wider European protests over soaring housing costs, while Socialist Party leader Jose Luis Carneiro urged talks with opposition parties and demonstrators.