President vetoes bill on rent subsidies for higher education students

Portugal’s president has returned a decree on rent supplements for higher education students to parliament without enacting it, claiming that it contradicts another existing regime and could cause “undesirable social costs” for many students. Marcelo wants clarity, he says, at a point where the government has launched a national accommodation plan to increase the supply at affordable prices, but the number of beds available is much lower than the demand – and this year the average price of rooms has risen again.In recent years, the amount awarded to students who study away from home and have difficulty paying for accommodation has also gradually increased, but not in line with the prices being asked.