Lira criticizes Lula’s articulation and says that Brazil “would be an Argentina” without the center

The President of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), criticized the political articulation of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), that the composition of the Esplanada dos Ministérios is “unbalanced” in comparison with the size of the parties’ benches at home.

He defended a coalition semi-presidentialism in which the president would share power with Congress through a prime minister, and stated that it is the centrão parties that support governments.

“Many used to say: ‘deputy Arthur Lira is the mainstay of the Bolsonaro government, he is the one who gives support’. But what was the ministry that we had in the Bolsonaro government: what space? I never cared for that. They often say that Lira wants Health, Centrão wants that. It is important to say that, if Brazil did not have Centrão, it would be an Argentina’, he said in an interview with radio Mix FM of Maceió, on Monday (7).

Lira recalled that her party, the PP, held ministerial positions during the management of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), including the leadership of the Civil House in the hands of Ciro Nogueira. Already under Lula’s administration, the party tries, among others, the Ministry of Social Development, nominating Deputy André Fufuca (PP-MA).

Arthur Lira also pointed out an imbalance in Lula’s ministerial composition, that there is more room for senators than deputies. According to him, parties with little representation have more ministries than the largest benches.

“He [Lula] did not balance the House and Senate. It has a lot of Senate in the ministries and little Chamber. There are parties with 30 deputies who have ministries, and there are parties with 50 who have no ministries. If the government’s criterion is to accommodate parties on the Esplanade, it is unbalanced”, he shot.

The president of the Chamber of Deputies also stated that he is against “this coalition government” and that he has always defended semi-presidentialism, with a president exercising the role of head of state and a prime minister voted by Congress, who would be the head of government.

There is a proposed amendment to the constitution that deals with this, but it never advanced in the Chamber. “Congress often votes on matters without the responsibility of knowing its impacts. When you participate in management decisions, you will force them to be more thoughtful,” he added.