Promised initially after last year’s municipalities, the ministerial reform planned by the president () drags on for six months and becomes an additional sign of the government’s political fragility in this second half of the petista’s mandate.
Still in 2024, Lula’s allies stated that it was an important measure for the future of the government and would be carried out from the correlation of forces that came out of the polls in the October elections. The idea, according to the president, would have informed the assistants, was to prepare the government and also the PT for the 2026 dispute.
At the time, according to the report of his interlocutors, the president complained about the performance of some of his ministers. Part of them, however, remains in the team to this day.
Now, six months later, Lula’s allies deal with the subject with irony. Asked about the expectation of a renovation outcome, one of them returned with a question under reserve about believing in Santa Claus.
The comment is not seen as an exaggeration. Over the months, different dates have been fixed for the consummation of the reform. After the municipal election and the New Year, the head of the Civil House, Rui Costa, came to
Costa also stated that the president was focused on improving management, and reforming in January would serve that the new ministers had time to make the desired changes by Lula.
In January, there was only one replacement in the first echelon of the government: A NA SECOM (Secretariat of Communication of the Palace of the Presidency) in place of Deputy Paulo Pimenta (PT-RS)-that.
Frustrated the expectation created by Costa, allies of the president claimed that by elections in the House and Senate – occasional in February – for the definition of the team. They also conditioned the reform of the PT succession, which could change the game of strength and the distribution of ministries between different party currents.
One of the plans outlined by Lula pointed to the beginning of the changes “indoors”, ie in the PT. In February, the president in the Health Folder, replacing it with (PT). For his place at the SRI (Secretariat of Institutional Relations), he was appointed, then president of the PT.
The few changes were restricted to low political impact exchanges, more linked to the names of the president’s so -called personal quota.
Even names criticized by Lula in reserved or even public conversations, such as ministers Márcio Macêdo (General Secretariat of Presidency), Cida Gonçalves (women), Paulo Teixeira (agrarian development) and Wellington Dias (social development), have survived frying.
In these six months, Lula faced several mishaps, including as a result of a domestic accident. In December, he was hurriedly operated on after the finding of an intracranial hemorrhage caused by a fall in the dawn palace.
Successive crises, such as that caused by dissemination of false information on PIX taxation, left the background reform. In the week marked by the death of Pope Francis, Lula also did not dedicate herself to the articulation of ministerial reform, according to a government member.
According to this ally of the president, Lula is still evaluating the impact that ministerial changes would have on the correlation of forces within the government and with Congress. The fear is that any changes will produce a breakdown in the team.
The reform was designed for government allies to be committed to the president’s campaign to reelection in 2026. But leaders of the allied base states claim that their commitment would be only to governability – and yet under tension.
In the evaluation of Lula’s political articulators, parliamentarians of the so -called centrão gave a proof of disloyalty by signing urgent request for the amnesty proposal to those involved in the coup attacks, which could cover names that planned to overthrow or murder Lula and his deputy, Geraldo Alckmin (PSB).
Another episode cited as a lack of commitment from parties that occupy the first echelon of the government is the retreat of União Brasil leader Pedro Lucas Fernandes (MA), who can be publicly announced for office.
As time goes on, negotiations become more complicated due to an electoral factor. While many parties prefer to appoint parliamentarians to command their quota ministries, these characters would have to leave office until April next year if they want to run for reelection or other position in 2026.
Despite the obstacles, supporters of the president say they remain optimistic with a possible improvement in Lula’s economy and evaluation rates, which would cause allies to remain at the base, control of ministries and even support reelection.
