PT nominations for commissioned positions in the government skyrocket with Lula: 112 people

At least 112 people linked to the PT who contested the 2020 and 2022 elections or were nominated by the party won positions or commissioned functions in the third government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), according to a survey released this Monday (24) by the Power360. In all, the investigation showed that 358 politicians or those linked to them entered the ministerial ranks based on indications by the parties.

The PT increased its presence on the Esplanada from 22 positions in December 2022 to 112 in 2023. The PSB of Vice President Geraldo Alckmin (SP) went from 14 to 29, while the PSD of Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco (MG) went from 14 to 26. The data refer to the month of May.

The PP of the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (AL), also gained positions and went from 12 commissioners in December 2022 to 15 by May 2023.

The release of the survey comes at a time when President Lula is seeking to increase his support base in the Chamber in order to pass projects considered priorities by the government with a little more ease – or less tension with the deputies. Last week, the Minister of Institutional Relations, Alexandre Padilha, confirmed the entry of the Republicans and the PP into the government, in addition to having responded to a request by União Brasil to change the command of the Ministry of Tourism.

The survey reveals that União Brasil lost four positions in commission between the end of Jair Bolsonaro’s (PL) government and the beginning of Lula’s, going from 24 to 20. The Republicans also, from 8 to 7, and the PL from 9 to 6.

Also last week, the leader of the government in the Chamber, deputy José Guimarães (PT-CE), confirmed that he has been working to increase the base of government in the house, and that the return of the parliamentary recess, in August, will have a “revamped Congress”.

Also according to the survey, the Ministry of Education is the one that most houses commissioners appointed by the parties, with 95 in total. Of these, 17 are from the PT, the party of Minister Camilo Santana; 9 from PC do B, from Minister Flávio Dino, of Justice; 8 of Podemos and PSD each; 7 from the PDT, and 6 from the PP, PSDB and União Brasil each.

The Ministry of Finance, run by PT Fernando Haddad, has 52 party nominees (7 from the PT); Agriculture and Livestock with 46 (25 from the PT and 8 from the PSD), and the Presidency of the Republic with 33, 19 from Lula’s party.

The survey shows that some of the government’s priority portfolios are under the leadership of the PT, including also Health, with 9 people linked to the party. This ministry, in particular, has been disputed by the centrão, but Lula has already made it clear that the portfolio will not enter into the ministerial reform that it must carry out before the return of the parliamentary recess.