Understand in 5 points the feud between Lira and Renan that affects Lula – 05/31/2023 – Politics

The difficulties faced by the Lula government (PT) around the provisional measure that restructures the Esplanada dos Ministérios involves a dispute between the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), and Senator Renan Calheiros (MDB-AL) .

In a new setback for the Lula government, the Chamber decided at the end of this Tuesday night (30) to postpone the vote on the provisional measure, increasing the risks that it expires. The text loses its effectiveness at the end of Thursday night (1st) and still needs to be analyzed by the Senate.

Members of the Planalto attributed what they called “parochial issues”, resulting from a dispute in Alagoas between Lira and Renan, the fear that the mayor would not act to help the government on this specific issue. The rapporteur for the project is federal deputy Isnaldo Bulhões Jr. (MDB-AL), one of Renan’s closest allies in Alagoas.

According to members of the political wing and government parliamentarians, Lira sent Lula, the Civil House and the Institutional Relations Secretariat to Lula on Monday night (29) that he was dissatisfied with messages published by Renan Calheiros on social networks.

Understand in five points the feud between Arthur Lira and Renan Calheiros:

1) What is the origin of the political dispute between Renan Calheiros and Arthur Lira? The groups of Renan Calheiros and Arthur Lira have been on opposite sides in politics in Alagoas in all elections since 1998. Both are politicians from different generations, but stood out for the protagonism they conquered in the national sphere, occupying relevant positions in the National Congress.

Aged 67, Renan was a federal deputy between 1983 and 1991. He returned to Congress in 1995 as a senator and was re-elected three times, reaching a 29-year term. He was Minister of Justice in the government of Fernando Henrique Cardoso (PSDB) and President of the Senate between 2005 and 2007 and between 2013 and 2017.

Arthur Lira is 53 years old and entered politics at a young age: he was elected councilor in Maceió at the age of 23 in 1992. Son of Benedito de Lira (PP), took a seat in the Chamber of Deputies in 2011. Ten years later, in 2021, he was elected to the Presidency of the House. He was re-elected to the post in 2023.

2) How did Arthur Lira rise under Bolsonaro? Arthur Lira’s rise in national politics happened at the same time that Renan Calheiros faced his most difficult moment.

Under the sights of lawsuits within the scope of the Lava Jato operation, Renan submerged at the beginning of the Bolsonaro government. In 2018, he was re-elected to the Senate despite the wave that swept traditional MDB politicians from Congress. He wanted to return to the presidency of the Senate in 2019, but was overcome by the articulation that took Senator Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP) to office.

Arthur Lira was also the target of Lava Jato, but became more influential federal deputies during the Bolsonaro government by leading the centrão. With the support of the then president, the parliamentary bloc formed by parties such as PP, PL and Republicans, which became viable as an alternative in the Chamber to the group of the then mayor, Rodrigo Maia.

In charge of the Chamber, Lira boosted the use of the rapporteur’s amendments, budget resources that are distributed according to parliamentarians’ indications, without transparency and without clear criteria for dividing the money. The maneuver gave him even more influence in the Chamber.

3) What is the scenario of the dispute between Lira and Renan in the Lula government? The clash between Lira and Renan is intensifying under Lula. Allied with the president, the senator from Alagoas is trying to resume his role in Congress. At the same time, Lira is trying to maintain her political strength under Lula.

The 2022 election was marked by the toughest clash between the groups led by Renan and Lira in Alagoas. In addition to Lula, Renan supported the reelection of Governor Paulo Dantas (MDB) and the election of his son, former Governor Renan Filho (MDB) to the Senate. Lira supported Bolsonaro, Senator Rodrigo Cunha (União Brasil) for the government and Davi Davino (PP) for the Senate.

Renan’s allies emerged victorious, but the dispute was tight in the three majority elections. The president of the Chamber showed strength in the Legislative: he was the most voted deputy in the state and helped the PP to elect four of the nine federal deputies of Alagoas. Renan’s MDB elected two.

With Lula’s inauguration, Renan Filho became Minister of Transport. Lira had no allies on the Esplanada dos Ministérios, but was re-elected to head the Chamber with the support of the PT.

4) What made the clash escalate in recent weeks? Amid the defeats of the Lula government in the Chamber of Deputies, Renan Calheiros expanded his artillery over Arthur Lira and tries to undermine his opponent’s attempts to expand his influence in Congress and in the federal government.

At the inauguration of a day care center in Rio Largo (AL) this Sunday (28), Renan raised the tone against his opponent. On the same stage as Mayor Gilberto Gonçalves, the senator accused the mayor of laundering money from the secret budget in Alagoas city halls. Gonçalves is a close ally of Lira and had his management swamped by amendments from the rapporteur.

This Monday, on a social network, the senator called Lira a deadbeat, accused him of embezzling public money and also of having beaten his ex-wife Julyenne Lins.

According to Planalto members, Lira sent messages that she would change her stance on measures of interest to Lula. The message was read by the government as pressure for Lula to replace Renan Filho. On Tuesday night, Lira denied that he had pressed for the replacement of the minister.

5) There is a chance of an armistice between Lira and Renan? The possibility of a truce in the clashes is seen as remote by allies of Lira and Renan. That’s because the 2026 election should consolidate the first direct clash between the two politicians: both should run for the Senate.

Bolstered by the good vote for federal deputy in 2022, Lira will have a strong candidate for government as an asset: the mayor of Maceió João Henrique Caldas (PL), the JHC. On the other hand, the tendency is for a new candidacy for the government of Renan Filho, who commanded the state between 2015 and April 2022.

The preview for the 2026 dispute will be in the municipal elections of 2024, when allies of Renan and Lira will fight for the mayoralties of the 102 municipalities of Alagoas. In the capital, JHC is favored for re-election with the support of Lira. The opposition still does not have a defined name for the dispute.