Deputies were absent 958 times without justification this year. See ranking

Among the responsibilities of a parliamentarian is the representation of voters through voting in sessions. It is not uncommon, however, for deputies to abstain from this responsibility. Since the beginning of the current legislature, on February 1, 2023, the Chamber has recorded 958 unjustified absences in deliberative sessions.

The most absent parliamentarians claim that presence in plenary is just one aspect of the activity they carry out. However, it is never enough to reaffirm that one of the most important factors of the Legislature is precisely to debate and vote on matters that are fundamental to the future of the country. And, in case of unexcused absence, the federal deputy is giving up participating in this stage.

The number of absentees is part of a Metrópoles survey carried out based on data extracted from the Chamber of Deputies website last Friday (29). It is worth noting that the portal distinguishes justified absences, such as sick leave, from unexcused absences.

According to the rules of the Chamber of Deputies, in deliberative sessions, the presence of parliamentarians is measured through electronic registration at the beginning of each session. If the system is not in use, verification is done using roll call lists in Plenary.

The survey shows that the federal deputy with the highest number of unexcused absences is Junior Lourenço (PL-MA) — see the other names below. The parliamentarian recorded 23 days of unexcused absences from plenary sessions. The total means that he missed around 28.75% of his appointments. When contacted, Lourenço’s advisors did not take a position.

Check out the list:

Salary discount

Unjustified absence from deliberative sessions may result in a discount on the deputy’s salary, as the remuneration takes into account the parliamentarian’s attendance.

“Absences are justified and are not deducted from the salary if the parliamentarian is on an authorized mission; in cases of illness proven by a certificate, analyzed by an official medical board; maternity leave; paternity leave; and serious illness or death of a family member up to the second civil degree”,

highlights the Chamber in a note sent to the report.

According to Bureau Act No. 66 of 2010, however, the deputy who, unjustifiably, does not attend the deliberative session will no longer receive 1/30 of the amount. “Deductions relating to absences that may occur in a given month will be made on the payroll for the second immediately subsequent month.”

As a last resort, excessive unjustified absences may result in the loss of the deputy’s mandate. The provision is contained in article 55 of the Federal Constitution. “The deputy will lose his mandate if he fails to attend, without justification, 1/3 of the ordinary sessions of each legislative session”, notes the Chamber.

Answers

Acre deputy Antônia Lúcia (Republicans) is second on the list. When contacted, the parliamentarian’s team did not respond to questions until the publication of this report.

The team of Congressman Washington Quaquá (PT-RJ) justified, in a note, the absences by pointing out agendas outside Brasília. The absences would be explained by activities such as “external tasks of the Tourism and Foreign Affairs commissions” and the fulfillment of “party functions as a member of the Electoral Working Group (GTE) of the Workers’ Party (PT), of which he is vice-president national”.

“Parliament is not a production line, in which you clock in and produce parts and goods. Politics is articulation, building consensus and projects, much more than formalities”,

pointed out.

Deputy Vicentinho Júnior (PP-TO) stated that deputies must be present in the plenary, in the ministries, in the Planalto and at the bases in the states, and it is not possible to always appear everywhere.

“We have to understand and have this common sense that often the absences that are made in the plenary are not due to simple absence, but because the mandate is present in some other environment that is necessary”,

said the parliamentarian to the reporter.

José Priante (MDB-PA), who also appears among the most absent, stated, through his team, that “those who are most justified are those who do not show up, do not vote and thereby influence the outcome of the deliberations”. According to the parliamentarian, he was sick for three days, but the period has not yet been paid.

Federal deputy Renilce Nicodemos (MDB-PA) stated that the absences are justified by the need to be present in “unpostponable agendas in municipalities in Pará”. She also notes that the state has continental dimensions, with municipalities up to a thousand kilometers away from the capital, and “often without air transport infrastructure, which ends up making it impossible to arrive in Brasília in time for these sessions”.

Representative Acácio Favacho (MDB-AP) said that he will present justification for the absences that appear on the Chamber portal. According to the congressman, absences, in addition to those already justified, include prominent deliberations, withdrawal from the agenda or roll call vote.

Paulo Abi-Ackel (PSDB-MG), in turn, justified that his absences from deliberative sessions were due to his participation in party activities as national secretary of the party and state president of the PSDB in Minas Gerais. “It should be noted that these absences are administratively justifiable,” he said.

Hercílio Coelho Diniz (MDB-MG), through his advisor, responded that, on the date of the absences, he was on leave for health treatment and carrying out parliamentary activity in the state. “We also inform you that the justifications have already been presented to the House, in its responsible sector, which, after deliberation by the Board, will update the transparency portal”, he added.

In a statement, licensed federal deputy Célio Studart (PSD-CE) stated that he was present this year in almost 85% of the deliberative sessions of the Chamber of Deputies and participated in votes of great importance for the country. “The absences, which represent 15% of the total deliberative sessions, occurred due to commitments outside Brasília,” he said.

In a statement, Luísa Canziani (PSD-PR) stated that she has justification for the absences. In addition to activities in the state of Paraná, the parliamentarian claims that the absences were due to fulfilling agendas on official international missions and fulfilling activities of the Science and Technology Commission and the Violence in Schools Working Group.

She also highlights that, as with accountability notes, there may be slowness in the Chamber of Deputies’ system that counts justifications. “As president of a Permanent Committee, with countless commitments daily, including outside Brasília, sometimes it ends up not being possible to register attendance at the Plenary,” she said.

Deputy Jadyel Alencar (PV-PI) informed that he had to undergo surgery on June 15 and that the treatment required a delicate recovery period, including avoiding long-term travel, exposure to the sun, in addition to the recommendation to wear light clothing. In a statement, Alencar’s team highlighted that, “after successfully completing the recovery process from the surgery, the deputy resumed his parliamentary activities, and his presence in the sessions became a constant again”.

Metrópoles also tried to contact the other deputies mentioned, but there was no response until the publication of the text. The space remains open for possible demonstrations.

*With information from Metrópoles

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