IMF advises Portugal to increase housing supply

The IMF has urged Portugal to implement measures to increase housing supply, revitalize the rental market, and expand social housing to improve affordability and control housing prices. Mateusz Szczurek, the IMF's European Department director, emphasized that supply issues are not unique to Portugal, as they also affect Spain and other European countries. He acknowledged that resolving these issues may require significant regulatory work and that the effects on prices will take time. Regarding Portugal's budgetary situation, Helge Berger, the IMF's deputy director, praised the country's public accounts performance over the past three years, noting a positive trend in the primary balance.