What Lira, Pacheco and Marinho offer for the command of Congress

The mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), made some recent gestures to parties and federal deputies in search of support to ensure his re-election. In addition to increasing the value of the reimbursement supplement for parliamentary housing assistance by 137%, it also redistributed freely appointed positions to the parties with the right to a minimum number of functions to be occupied by parties that did not manage to reach the barrier clause.

Lira has also been waving at the idea of ​​dismembering commissions from the Chamber to increase the number of collegiate bodies and the offer of presidencies to be headed by the parties, confirm deputies. The analysis made by allies and even supporters of the President of the Chamber is that the signs were adopted to ensure his reappointment to the command of the House and discourage possible candidacies from central parties.

However, the main nods to the parties take place behind the scenes by acting in the intermediation of an arm-wrestling between the PL and the PT for the most “noble” spaces in the House. He has also sought to reconcile the interests of the other parties in the composition of the positions of the Board of Directors and of the permanent commissions. The effort to reach good agreements for the parties has guided Lira’s campaign promise to build consensus and consolidate a strong and independent Chamber.

A similar commitment occurs in the articulations by the command of the Senate between the current president, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), who is running for re-election, and the elected senator Rogério Marinho (PL-RN). The two main candidates for the presidency of the Senate also indicate the accommodation of important spaces for parties that support their respective party blocs.

The PL, for example, announced on Wednesday (25) that it had reached an agreement with the PP and the Republicans and, in a possible victory for Marinho, the parties would have more possibilities to occupy important posts. Pacheco, on the other hand, works to close a block with the support of PSD, MDB and União Brasil, parties that would also be entitled to relevant positions.

The Board of Directors of the House and Senate are composed of seven positions: president, 1st vice-president, 2nd vice-president and four secretaries. There are also four positions for alternates, who replace the Board secretaries according to their ordinal numbering and are part of the meetings when they are absent.

With the exception of the president of each House, the positions most coveted by the parties in the Boards of Directors are the 1st vice-presidency, which replaces the president in case of absences or impediments, and the 1st secretariat, which acts as superintendence of administrative services — a kind of of “prefecture” of the legislative houses.

Other coveted positions in dispute are the presidencies of the permanent committees, with 25 in the Chamber and 13 in the Senate. The Constitution and Justice Commission (CCJ) is the most important of each House, as it is responsible for analyzing the constitutional admissibility of most of the proposals that are being processed and has the power to decide on the loss of parliamentary mandate.

How are the discussions between Lira and parties for spaces in the Chamber

For having a re-election well underway in a dispute without the formation of party blocks, Lira’s biggest challenge is to sign agreements that meet the interests of the parties. The main promise made by him is to work for consensus within the criterion of proportionality, which allows parties to make their choices for spaces according to the size of the benches.

The PL, for example, which elected 99 federal deputies, can indicate its preference for the 1st vice-presidency or for the CCJ. The party federation led by the PT, which made up 80 deputies, would be the second to be chosen. With 59 parliamentarians, União Brasil would be the third in order, and so on — with the exception of the PP which, despite having the fourth largest group, would already have the presidency of the House.

It happens, however, that the PL, of former president Jair Bolsonaro, expressed interest in having the 1st vice-presidency and also the presidency of the CCJ due to having the largest party bench. Already the PT, of president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, aims at the CCJ and would also be threatening to launch a candidate for the 1st vice-presidency if the PL does not back down.

To appease the mood, Lira inserted at the negotiating table the possibility of there being, between the two parties, a relay for control of the CCJ, which would be agreed upon throughout the current legislature, so that PL and PT would hold the presidency of the collegiate for two years. each, alternately. The suggestion is that the agreement would also prevail in the next term of office of the Board of Directors.

Without the 1st vice-presidency, the PT expressed interest in assuming the 1st secretariat. It so happens, however, that the post is coveted by the president of União Brasil, deputy Luciano Bivar (PE), who ended the last legislature as holder of the post and wants to be reappointed to the post and counts on Lira to support him in his re-election.

Federal deputy Celso Sabino (União Brasil-PA) says that the criterion of proportionality will be respected and anything that deviates from this will have to be through an agreement. “Proportionality is regimental. Who has the right [a uma indicação] gives up to another normally in exchange for position”, he clarifies.

Lira’s ally, Sabino assures, however, that the parties are “well in tune” and that the speeches are to follow the official slate of party nominations. “I don’t think there will be any surprises. As the largest party in the Chamber is the PL, followed by the PT federation, the Bureau’s first request is from the PL and then comes the PT which, if it does not want its second request and chooses to open hand, for example, for the MDB, will exchange to try to get what would fit the MDB”, he highlights.

Sabino also confirms the tendency to maintain an agreement to elect Deputy Jhonatan de Jesus (Republicanos-RR) to the position of Minister of the Federal Audit Court (TCU), which is indicated by the Chamber and became vacant in July, with the retirement of former Minister Ana Arraes. The vote will take place on February 2 and does not limit the position that Republicans are entitled to the Board of Directors.

Which names can take the posts on the Board of Directors of the Chamber

As found by People’s Gazette, a seam crafted by Lira involves a middle ground between the interests of the three largest groups for the most noble positions: the PL would have the 1st vice-presidency and the Finance and Taxation Commission (CFT) – the second most coveted for being responsible for analyzing the financial suitability of the proposals being processed by the Chamber; the PT would keep the CCJ and maintain the 2nd secretariat; and União Brasil would have the 1st secretariat.

Maintaining the criterion of proportionality, the other positions on the Board of Directors — including the four alternates — would be distributed to the MDB, PSD, Republicans, the party federation led by the PSDB, the PDT, the PSB and Podemos.

The federation led by PSOL has 14 deputies and is superior to Podemos, which elected 12 parliamentarians, but may be left without a replacement on the Board of Directors if it maintains the candidacy of elected federal deputy Chico Alencar (PSOL-RJ).

Whatever position União Brasil takes on the Board of Directors of the Chamber, the position will be held by Luciano Bivar, say parliamentarians. The PT nomination will be congresswoman Maria do Rosário (RS). As for the Republicans, it will be Marcos Pereira (SP), national president of the party. Other parties, such as the PL, are yet to define their nominees to forward to Lira.

Deputy Sóstenes Cavalcante (PL-RJ) is one of those tipped to take over the party’s post on the Board of Directors, which could be the 1st vice-presidency. However, there is a possibility that the leader of the party, Altineu Côrtes (RJ), will take the seat and leave the leadership of the bench to Sóstenes, who is currently president of the Evangelical bench.

How are Marinho and Pacheco’s conversations with parties and senators

Candidates for the Senate also waved with the accommodation of spaces to parties and senators. In the case of Rodrigo Pacheco, in case of re-election, the objective is to ensure an agreement that maintains the MDB with the 1st vice-presidency. The União Brasil would have the presidency of the CCJ and the PT the first secretariat.

There is, however, a conflict of interest. The PT, which has fewer senators than the MDB, also aims for the 1st vice-presidency. Senator Humberto Costa (PT-PE) works for the position, while emedebists defend the reappointment of Veneziano Vital do Rêgo (PB). Another candidate for the post is Senator Eliziane Gama (Cidadania-MA), whose party has one of the smallest benches and formed a federation with the PSDB.

Another controversy involves the nomination of Alcolumbre to chair the CCJ again. Many senators, including Pacheco’s own base, are critical of his management in the last two years at the head of office and the empowerment given to him by the President of the House. There is also a no-agreement dispute over the presidency of the Foreign Affairs Commission (CRE). Senator Renan Calheiros (MDB-AL) wants to command the collegiate, but the PSD believes it is entitled to an agreement to ensure the presidency to Senator Daniella Ribeiro (PB).

On the side of Rogério Marinho, allies of the elected senator claim that talks have not made progress on this issue and that the focus in recent weeks has been to ensure the construction of the bloc that will support the PL candidate. Senators assure, however, that, in case of victory, the criterion of proportionality will be respected, as Marinho himself said in an interview with People’s Gazette.

The consolidation of the party bloc with PP and Republicans left Marinho’s coordinators optimistic that victory could be achieved by obtaining votes from senators from different parties, including parties around Pacheco. On the other hand, parliamentarians ensure that there are still no closed agreements on the occupation of spaces.

“If we have a large and united block in the commissions that indicates, by proportionality of seats, more members, it is more likely that we will be able to make the presidents. of blocks”, says an interlocutor from Marinho.