Pacheco can seal isolation of defeated in the Senate election

After being re-elected to the Presidency of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG) promptly declared that he would not give up space on the Board of Directors to the opposing group, led by Rogério Marinho (PL-RN). True to his promise, he went further and secured agreements that allowed allies to take control of the most important of the House’s 14 permanent thematic committees. One of them was the Constitution and Justice Commission (CCJ), which ended up being handed over to Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP), a key figure in Pacheco’s victories in 2021 and this year, due to the abdication by the PSD. Due to the exchanges, Pacheco’s party became the largest in the Senate, with 16 senators.

With 27 members, the committee also has the task of dealing with controversial issues such as the loss of a senator’s mandate and the appeals lodged against the decisions of the President of the Senate. The CCJ also conducts a hearing on the nominees to join the higher courts, such as the Federal Supreme Court (STF) and the Superior Court of Justice (STJ). After the CCJ, the Economic Affairs Commission (CAE) is the most disputed. To raise tension, the leadership of the PSD appointed its senator Vanderlan Cardoso (GO) to chair this commission as well. The nominee by leader Otto Alencar (PSD-BA) has already said that one of his first actions will be to schedule a public hearing with the president of the Central Bank, Roberto Campos Neto.

With the exclusion of the defeated, especially the Liberal Party (PL), which has 12 senators and is the second largest party in the plenary, it was up to them to invoke the criterion of proportionality, which takes into account the size of the benches of parties and blocs, the in order to avoid total isolation. This task will be carried out with the block also formed by PP, Republicans and Novo, who occupy a total of 23 seats. In addition to integrating the production of laws, the thematic commissions offer positions to their presidents and vices and guarantee a platform for political projects. In the past, there have been cases of even the dominant subtitle being excluded from compositions.

According to information obtained by the People’s Gazette with sources linked to at least four senators, Pacheco is expected to decide by the week following Carnival whether or not to accommodate senators from the losing group, with the aim of expanding the range of support to approve agendas of interest to the government. Executive negotiators even know that disregarding proportionality can create difficulties in negotiating future agreements, but there is an interest in closing the gate. The opposition leader in the Senate, Rogério Marinho (PL-RN), told the People’s Gazette which will demand compliance with proportionality. The respective leaders of the block legends must make the same movements.

As the election of the president of the thematic commissions is done by the colleagues, generally based on previous agreements, the opposition fears that, even following the rule of proportionality, the majority around Pacheco could present single names to run for these positions and they will end up being elected by majority vote.

The opposition is focused on the achievements of the Infrastructure Services (CI) and Agriculture (CRA) commissions, considered strategic by the profile of their senators. If the rule is fulfilled, the bloc would be entitled to the fourth choice among the parties by the commissions from top to bottom. The duel at CI should be between Wilder Morais (PL-GO) and Soraya Thronicke (União Brasil-MS).

Still according to party leaders, the tendency is for Social Affairs (CAS) to stay with the PT, with the PDT on the prowl; Education, Culture and Sport (CE) will be contested by an MDB nominee and Flávio Arns (PSB-PR). The Environment is of interest to both PSD and PT, Human Rights should once again be with Paulo Paim (RS) and Foreign Affairs (CRE), in turn, is almost certain to go to Renan Calheiros (MDB-AL).

The Public Security Commission (CSP) is reserved for Omar Aziz (PSD-AM), but should be contested by Styvenson Valentim (Podemos-RN). Senator Oriovisto Guimarães (Podemos-PR) hopes that his party will take over the presidency of this or another committee. Finally, the Senate of the Future Commission, currently chaired by Izalci Lucas (DF), tends to continue with the PSDB. There is no definition for Regional Development (CDR), Agriculture (CRA), Science and Technology (CCT) and Transparency and Control (CTC).

Plurality principle collides in the fight for spaces of power in the Senate

In normal situations, with broad agreement, party leaders indicate the senators who will integrate the commissions on behalf of each party or the respective parliamentary block. Parties and blocs then follow party proportionality rules to fill seats, and the largest political groups in the Senate receive more seats. Even so, it is also possible to transfer vacancies from one party or bloc to another, in order to ensure a desired plural representation in the collegiate bodies. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) said he will insist on this point, which deals with the visibility of the parties represented in the House.

The Senate Rules of Procedure only say that the chairman of a committee must be elected by the members in a secret ballot. But the tradition is for commission members to endorse the leaders’ choices. Nothing prevents, however, the emergence of other candidates and the dispute in the vote. Each senator can integrate up to three committees as a member and another three as an alternate. Only the President of the Senate is prevented from acting in committees, except for the Board of Directors. The presidents of the collegiate bodies have a two-year term, with no chance of re-election in the same legislature. Work can start right after the election.

Proportionality, however, is foreseen in the Constitution (article 58), which establishes: “in the constitution of the Bureaus and of each commission, the proportional representation of the parties or parliamentary blocs that participate in the respective House is ensured, as much as possible”.