PT tries to avoid bolsonarista in inspection commission – 02/15/2023 – Power

The command of the Financial Inspection and Control Commission of the Chamber of Deputies opened a dispute between the PT of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the PL of Jair Bolsonaro, both interested in commanding the collegiate.

The commission’s role is to inspect the actions of the Executive, evaluate reports from the TCU (Tribunal de Contas da União) —including requests that involve inspection of Union contracts— and usually calls government ministers to discuss issues related to their respective folders.

During the Bolsonaro government, for example, the commission even heard the then Minister of the Environment, Joaquim Álvaro Pereira Leite, about fires in Brazil; and the then Minister of the GSI (Institutional Security Office), General Augusto Heleno, on coup protests on September 7th.

In the evaluation of petistas, the commission could create discomfort for the Lula government if it ends up in the hands of the opposition. Therefore, the party tries to prevent it from ending up under the command of a Bolsonarist.

This Tuesday (14), both PT and PL showed interest in leading the commission during a meeting of leaders with the mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL). According to reports, União Brasil also indicated interest in the collegiate.

By House rules, commissions are distributed according to the size of the benches — with the largest parties having preference in the selection sequence.

As the largest party in the Chamber with 99 deputies, the PL would have the right to make the first choice, but gave up to the PT to keep the CCJ (Commission on Constitution and Justice), the most important in the House. Deputy Rui Falcão (PT-SP) is the bench’s nominee.

In return, the PL must chair the Joint Budget Committee. Despite the agreement, the party even expressed at this Tuesday’s meeting that it would like to chair the CCJ —which was seen by PT members as a provocation, since the agreement is maintained.

In addition, this PL movement was also interpreted by parliamentarians as an attempt by Bolsonaro’s party to press for the command of other commissions. The party aims at Agriculture, which is also targeted by the PP.

According to PT members, if the Financial Inspection and Control Commission does not stay with the party, it is important that it be assigned to some party in the government base. If she stays with the PL, petistas defend that a name be indicated that is not considered a radical Bolsonarist.

In the evaluation of a PT leader, whoever commands the collegiate needs to play a supervisory role that is done seriously, and not with the intention of “making noise and political war”.

At this Tuesday’s meeting, party leaders indicated which commissions they would like to command. In total, there are 30 standing committees in the Chamber.

On the last 8th, the Chamber approved the creation of five new permanent commissions, aiming to contemplate Lira’s allies. The new commissions were created from the dismemberment of the existing ones — the previous number was 25 collegiate ones.

Despite Lira having signaled that she would like to end discussions on the subject this week, leaders involved in the negotiations say that this should only have an outcome after Carnival. They indicate that there are still pending agreements.

There are deadlocks on other committees, including Finance and Taxation, sought by PL, União Brasil and PSD; Mines and Energy, disputed by PL and União Brasil; and the Environment, desired by PT and MDB.

In view of this, Lira will meet with party leaders individually in the coming days in an attempt to reach an understanding. There was an expectation that a new meeting between the leaders and the President of the House would take place this Wednesday (15). However, as of Tuesday night, no official call had been made.

One leader also considers that once deadlocks on more targeted commissions are resolved, the parties will look to other collegiate bodies that have not yet been mentioned by the parties. And that this will lead to new rounds of negotiations.