Addressing the number of foreign residents, the former Prime Minister and former PSD leader Pedro Passos Coelho participated in a rally, accusing the PS of having increased insecurity in the country, which he associates with immigration.

"We need to have a country open to immigration, but be careful, we also need to have a safe country", said the social democrat, maintaining that, "the Government turned a deaf ear to this and, in fact, today people feel insecure which is the result of the lack of investment and priority given to these matters. It is not a coincidence".

Pedro Passos Coelho's words generated controversy, and in recent days much has been said about them.

But has the number of foreigners living in Portugal really increased by dramatic levels?

According to the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation (FFMS), in 2022, 798,480 foreigners lived in Portugal, which represents 7.6% of the country's total population.

After a decrease between 2010 and 2015, the foreign population has been increasing. According to Pordata, "the number almost doubled in 10 years", between 2018 and 2019 alone, the increase was more than 110,000 foreigners.