Ministries: Lira points to defeats as a ‘good message’ to Lula – 06/05/2023 – Politics

The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), stated that the formation of President Lula’s (PT) ministry meant that the Chamber was underrepresented and said that the government still has a way to change “the course of these choices and balance this game”.

In an interview with CNN Brasil this Monday morning (5), the President of the House was asked whether the President of the Republic had made a mistake in the way in which he organized the division of his ministries.

“The setup and style of making a base are unique to each government. I have never defended a coalition government with the Legislative occupying space, neither partisan nor personal, but that is up to each government to choose. Whether it was done right or done wrong , the situation we live in today speaks for itself.”

The president of the Chamber stated that the president set up his ministry in a way to serve, mainly, former governors who were elected to the Senate.

“Trying to occupy perhaps in a more administrative capacity of each one’s experience. But the fact is that the Chamber was underrepresented in this situation. Or represented by decisions that did not belong directly to the parties,” said Lira.

“If the government chose this way, of course, it will be able to change the course of these choices and balance this game so that it has greater comfort”, continued the parliamentarian.

Still in the interview, Lira said that in her earlier conversation with President Lula “nobody discussed” a possible ministerial reform of the government. “The president did not even mention this possibility, I did not deal with ministries, I did not deal with the release of amendments or the release of spaces.”

“I think the warning that was given [sobre] the difficulties that occurred last week were a good message for the government to recompose its path”, said 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.