Government admits discussing points of administrative reform, after pressure

The possibility of the Chamber “disengaging” the administrative reform proposed by Paulo Guedes, former ministers of Jair Bolsonaro (PL), has haunted the PT government at the beginning of the second half. After several declarations by the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), in favor of a discussion on the subject in Congress, the Lula government started to study its own alternative, more palatable for the left and for the civil service. .

This Tuesday (5) ministers of the economic area and others closest to Lula, met with the Minister of Management and Innovation in Public Services, Esther Dweck, to discuss the issue, which according to sources would not necessarily undergo a profound reform, but for adjustments in the sector that could signal the intention of changes and redirect attention, mainly from the opposition, to other areas. A project that prohibits supersalaries from functionalism should be one of the alternatives adopted by the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, to enter the subject without supporting deeper changes.

The Lula government is clearly against the idea of ​​changing benefits for civil servants, as leaders in Congress and even ministers Haddad and Rui Costa have already stated. The PT’s indisposition to administrative reform also takes into account electoral calculations for 2024, in which the PT intends to increase the number of mayors, already with an eye on increasing the electoral base for 2026. party, trade unionists and potential voters.

Government tries to prevent if discussion advances in the Chamber

But what if Lira insists? In the Chamber, it is not uncommon to see parliamentarians playing in the corridors or in the cafe, attached to the House Plenary, and where the votes take place, which when Lira decides to “treat” a certain agenda, he succeeds.

In the vote on the tax reform, for example, which parliamentarians and sectors had been trying to approve for decades, Lira guided, negotiated and approved in record time, in a super week before the recess in which he called on the deputies to be in Brasília as early as Monday – normally the polls are scheduled between Tuesday and Thursday – and the reform was completed before Friday.

Government interlocutors say that the objective is to “put on” if Lira decides to vote on the proposed amendment to the Constitution (PEC) 32/2020, approved by a special commission in September 2021, so as not to be caught by surprise.

The government’s idea, then, will be to present bills with points that address minor changes in the administrative structure, a mission that would be in charge of the Minister of Management and Innovation in Public Services, Esther Dweck.

Haddad admits to discussing projects that deal with changes in the administrative area

The Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, said this Tuesday (05), after the meeting with Dweck, that several projects under discussion in the National Congress were analyzed and that deal with administrative matters, and that “they can help to address issues of interest from the government”. “We reviewed all the themes that deal with the modernization of the State, of functionalism, and that could mean an important advance”, added Haddad.

The minister cited as an example the Supersalary Law, already voted in the Chamber of Deputies, which is currently in the Federal Senate, and which, according to Haddad, could put an end to privileges and mean a robust economy for the Brazilian State.

In an interview given to the Jota news portal last month, the Minister of Management, Esther Dweck also stated that constitutional amendment is not necessary to change the rules of civil service, despite admitting that the rules in force need adjustments. “We do not intend to end stability. We are putting together our package to present to Congress, and we are willing to dialogue”.

On the same occasion, Esther Dweck said that perhaps the proposals needed to be sliced, as some issues are already being discussed in Congress, such as the Tender Law. “We agree with Lira that some changes must be made”, said the minister.

Analysts heard by People’s Gazette believe that in a scenario of many measures sent by the government to increase revenue, there is room to try to leverage the advancement of the discussion of administrative reform, especially if considered the most liberal wing of parliamentarians, who defend that the government has to do its part and cut in the own card to cut costs.

Benchmarks endorse call for reform

Recently, Arthur Lira’s proposal and stance of defending administrative reform, already classified by the president as “the next movement” of the Chamber, gained weight reinforcement with the adhesion of several parliamentary fronts installed both in the Chamber and in the Senate, such as those of the Agriculture, Entrepreneurship and Services, among others, which bring together hundreds of parliamentarians.

The benches released a manifesto in support of Arthur Lira because they considered that the statements made by him in several recent events, mainly with the Brazilian business community, had not had enough repercussions, as he told Gpeople’s azeta Deputy Joaquim Passarinho (PL-PA), reinforcing the need to discuss changes in the public administrative area.

According to the deputy, the debate in Congress does not necessarily need to be guided by PEC 32, by Guedes, which Lira defends as being ready for the Plenary and as a proposal that does not remove acquired rights from those who are already in the public service.

But there are also those who say that Arthur Lira uses the reform as an instrument to put pressure on the government, by showing that he is in charge of votes in the Chamber and needs his support to approve important matters on the economic agenda.

Still this Tuesday (5), the mayor returned to talk about the subject with journalists. According to Lira, “the concern is: if we have no prospect of increasing revenue without raising taxes, we have to contain our spending”.

Lira also stated that when he raises the banner of reform, he has no intention of harming any sector. “I reaffirm that the text [da PEC 32/2020] it does not take away any rights from the current civil servants”. Asked about the government’s initiative in addressing the matter, Lira said that he receives the move “with great satisfaction”.