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On Tuesday (11/04), the Congress began the work of joint commissions to evaluate provisional measures (MP) issued by the federal government. The progress of important projects proposed by the central administration were being jeopardized by a standoff between the Federal Chamber and the Senate, which cannot come to an agreement about the procedures to analyze the MPs.
The Standoff
Before the pandemic, to be approved by the Congress, the MPs had to be analyzed by commissions that are made up of 12 members from each house. But this rite was changed during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the commissions were suspended, and provisional measures began to be analyzed directly by the Chamber. This gave extra power to the Federal Chamber President, currently, Arthur Lira.
However, now that the Congress has already returned to its normal routine, the Chamber resists resuming the previous rite of provisional measures. Lira claims that since the Chamber has 513 deputies and the Senate, only 83 senators, the composition of the commissions should be proportional. For his turn, Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco has refused the idea. For him, it would unbalance the bicameralism.
Temporary Solution
Three joint commissions were created as temporary solutions for this standoff that has not yet been solved. The commissions will on which there was agreement between deputies and senators were installed. They will review: the PM of the new rules of Minha Casa Minha Vida; the PM of ministerial restructuring; and the MP that changes the rules of the Bolsa Família program.
Important Topics
The government seeks the approval of the MPs because they concern issues sensitive to President Lula, including the Bolsa Família, Minha Casa, Minha Vida and Mais Médicos programs.
In case of possible loss of validity of these MPs, the government could not edit another MP this year, only send a proposal in the form of a bill, which does not have immediate effect.
Our Analysis:
The solution brings relief to a situation that can lock the government’s progress on its first days. Even though the power struggle is between the Chamber and the Senate, it can harm the government by halting fundamental projects, necessary to strengthen its popularity after a very disputed election.
