Lula receives Lira after week of political tension – 05/06/2023 – Politics

President Lula received this Monday morning (5) the mayor, deputy Arthur Lira (PP-AL), for breakfast at the Alvorada Palace.

The meeting takes place after a week of clashes between the Planalto and the head of the Legislative House, with criticism of political articulation and a request for a ministerial reform to make room for center parties.

The meeting with Lira was not on the official agenda of the representative. Minister Alexandre Padilha (Institutional Relations), the target of Lira’s criticism, did not participate in the meeting.

The meeting also takes place days after the Federal Police served arrest and search and seizure warrants against Lira’s allies in an investigation into deviations in contracts for the purchase of robotics kits with money from the FNDE (National Education Development Fund).

The case originated from a report by the Sheet published in April last year on acquisitions in municipalities of Alagoas, all signed with the same company belonging to allies of Lira.

The Planalto and the Chamber of Deputies experienced tense days last week, with the threat of the overthrow of the provisional measure that restructures the Esplanada dos Ministérios. The text was later approved, but amid attacks against the political articulation and requests for changes in the ministries.

On the eve of voting on the text, Lira spoke of “widespread dissatisfaction”.

“The problem is not with the Chamber, it is not with Congress. The problem is with the government, with the lack or absence of articulation”, said Lira. “There is widespread dissatisfaction among deputies and perhaps senators with the government’s lack of political articulation, not one or another minister,” she added.

Almost six months after taking office, Lula has witnessed in recent days the most forceful demonstration of dissatisfaction by the Chamber of Deputies with the government and ran the risk of seeing much of the design he made for his ministries be erased.

In the opinion of parliamentarians interviewed by the report, this moment may have represented a watershed in the government’s relationship with the Chamber. The next steps, according to deputies and members of the government, will define the relationship that Lula will have with Lira.

The Planalto Palace knows that today it does not have enough votes to approve measures of interest without the influence of the mayor. According to Lira and Lula himself, the Planalto has assured about 130 of 513 seats in the plenary – although the base with parties that make up the government is larger.

From now on, deputies assess, Lula will have to act to repair the rough edges in his political articulation and speed up the release of amendments and appointments to regional positions —the two main demands of congressmen— under penalty of suffering more defeats in the House.

In addition, a recurring request from parliamentarians is for prestige and for Lira to be more empowered.

This also means making room in the federal machine for other parties, such as the PP, Republicans and even the PL, who supported the re-election of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) in 2022 – some in the first, others in the second echelon.