Arthur Lira is re-elected mayor with record votes

The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), was re-elected this Wednesday (1st) with 464 votes in a quorum of 509 present. The victory was expected by allies, who projected the support of at least 460 of the 513 federal deputies. Lira thus beats the vote record of deputies João Paulo Cunha (PT-SP) and Ibsen Pinheiro (MDB), who won the election with 434 votes in the 2003 and 1991 elections, respectively.

Arthur Lira’s victory stems from broad support received by left, center and right parties throughout the Chamber. No wonder, his candidacy led the only parliamentary block filed by 14 parties and party federations, which together make up 496 of the 513 deputies. The range of support ranged from the PT of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the PL of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

The only parties left out of the bloc were Novo, which nominated deputy Marcel van Hattem (RS) as a candidate, and the party federation of Psol and Rede, which nominated deputy Chico Alencar (Psol-RJ). Both candidates won 19 and 21 votes respectively.

Lira waves left and right in speech as a candidate

In her speech, Lira took stock of her first term and listed a series of approved proposals, with several nods to women, liberals, left and right parliamentarians, and also the Lula government.

Lira said that it is necessary to “advance further and further” and spoke of “immediately tackling the tax issue”. “With broad and fair discussion on reforming this country,” she declared. The Lula government defends the approval of a reform in the country’s tax system and the president of the Chamber waved with the approval of the matter in up to six months.

The re-elected president also asked for “serenity” and defended the importance of “disarming the spirits” and “cooling the eyes”. “It is necessary to respect different opinions and understand the real Brazil,” he declared. “We all want a better, fairer Brazil with more opportunities for everyone, and it is through civilized conversation and debate, and especially through voting, that the majority in this sovereign House is built,” he added.

Lira also made a nod of respect for the independence of the Chamber when he said that, if re-elected, he will not tolerate decisions by superior courts that invalidate acts of the House. “I want, here, with great emphasis, to emphasize that, if the plenary speaks for the will of the largest part of the deputies, if elected, I never passively agreed with the invalidation of acts by appeals of a minority in superior courts”, he affirmed.

In the same line of independence, Lira promised to establish a “pact” with the Lula government to “improve and advance” in public policies, and not “a relationship of subordination”. He also promised to conduct his mandate and support the Executive “from the careful listening to the opinion and suggestion of our committees”.

On the right, Lira made a “firm defense” of her “appreciation” of the right to freedom of expression. “As long as it doesn’t pose a threat to the only regime that grants us that right, which is our democracy,” she commented.

What Arthur Lira promised and how his candidacy was built

Lira secured his re-election after many meetings with deputies nodding to the parties, such as the 137% increase in the value of the complement to reimbursement of housing assistance for parliamentarians and the redistribution of freely appointed positions with the right to a minimum number of functions to be occupied by the subtitles that failed to reach the barrier clause.

Lira also waved with the dismemberment of commissions of the Chamber to increase in five the number of collegiate and the offer of presidencies to be headed by the parties. He also pledged to seek an agreement that would best accommodate the parties in the Board of Directors and in the collegiate.

In his speech as a candidate, Lira said he held 53 individual meetings and with state and even thematic meetings in his candidacy for re-election. In meetings, he always expressed his intention to keep the Chamber independent and strong.

Lira highlighted that, in his first term, 223 bills from the deputies were approved. “The commitment we made two years ago to honor the mandate of each deputy,” she said. He also highlighted having held 347 sessions and approved 92 provisional measures (MPs) and enacted 85 legislative decrees and 15 proposed amendments to the Constitution (PEC) in the first round and 24 in the second round.