With the participation of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, the CNC Global Voices debated politics, economics and innovation, focusing on the global impact and prospects for Brazil. At his side were former president Michel Temer and the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira.
During the event promoted by the National Confederation of Commerce in Goods, Services and Tourism (CNC), Tony Blair reinforced the difficulty in implementing changes in governments, especially in attempts at reforms, such as those sought by him in the United Kingdom for health and education, in which he faced strong resistance.
“The reforms, in principle, everyone is in favor, but when we talk about specific reforms it is different,” he said, remembering that in the education reform he had problems with unions, as well as in health, with doctors and nurses. “Change is a difficult process, which requires many skills,” he said.
Regarding entrepreneurship, Blair highlighted that, increasingly, in all countries, people want to open their own business. For him, the growth of entrepreneurship is combined with business predictability, ease of opening and a stable environment. “People need to see the government as an ally.”
Regarding his government, Blair highlighted that he sought to act as a third way, escaping the “State and Market” binary. He recalled that, in moments like the Covid pandemic, the State needed to take action, but that, in most situations, it is the corporate sector that is the engine of growth.
“So it’s important to put ideology aside, and think about what works,” Blair suggested. “If we look around the world, it’s not difficult to know which experiences work. The difficult thing, often, is doing what works”, he added. “Most people are not interested in the debate about left or right, but rather whether the government is doing what is necessary”, he concluded.
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government project
Former president Michel Temer highlighted the importance of government projects, highlighting that, upon taking office in 2016, he implemented the “Bridge to the Future”. “What brings stability (to the country) and puts people at ease is knowing that there is a project. Well (when taking office), we had a project that envisaged reforms, GDP recovery and a drop in inflation”, he said.
According to him, all of this was advanced jointly with Congress. “In the past, the Chamber was a kind of ‘appendix’ of the executive branch. The mentality was that the president of the republic can do anything, but he cannot if he does not have the support of Congress”, he stated.
“Who governs the country, fundamentally, is the combination of work between the executive and the legislative… I brought Congress to govern with me”, he added, pointing out that, due to “the strength of the constitutional provision” the Legislative was gaining “expression” and “prestige” . “Not a political prestige, contrary to the constitution, but that derived from the constitutional text.”
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In this sense, Temer defends greater “responsibility” for the Legislature, as it currently “manages a large part of the budget”. “Congress has been assuming certain responsibilities, which, at a given moment, will be useful to transform the Legislature into an area of government execution.”
In this way, he defends semi-presidentialism, as a way of bringing greater security and reducing exhausting political climates, such as those that occur in times of impeachment requests. “If we have the legislature governing, a government with a parliamentary majority will be formed, with changes (of government) without trauma.”
Polarization
In relation to polarization, Temer believes it is necessary, with a clash of ideas, themes, programs and systems. “This is useful, a result of democracy. Opposition is fundamental in democracy.”
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However, currently, the opposition’s concept has been: “if I lose the election, my duty is to destroy those who won. This harms governance and the people.” He says that what is happening is a “radicalization” in the country. “It’s Brazilians against Brazilians, institutions against institutions, with aggression”, he added.
Stability
The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, highlighted the importance of consensus to be created by political institutions, so that this does not turn into economic disturbances, “always harmful to investments and good management of resources”.
According to him, the business agenda must be based on social stability, legal security and predictability. Lira also highlighted that, currently, unlike when she took charge of the Chamber – when only the pandemic was talked about – there is a search for a development agenda.
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“We started talking about removing historical obstacles to our development, through tax reform, and new legal, sectoral frameworks that encourage entrepreneurship, competition and innovation.”
Tax reform and new economy
Lira particularly highlighted the progress of tax reform, after three decades in progress. “For those who only followed from a distance, it may seem trivial, but those who participated in the political negotiations know that it was a feat,” he said, in relation to the approval.
“It is, above all, a political victory, through political dialogue”, he stated, adding that the new system will be implemented little by little and its (positive) consequences perceived over time.
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Lira highlighted the search for building a new economy, less dependent on carbon emissions, more harmonious, combining sustainability and energy transition.
“These are topics that we are advancing thanks to the search for consensus on the part of Brazilian political and business leaders. The harmony between Congress and society will be able to enable a new green economy”, he added.
