President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defended the exemption of amounts paid as Profit Sharing (PLR), in addition to the reduction of working hours — an issue that gained national repercussion this year with the PEC against the 6×1 scale.
However, the president did not commit to a date to meet these agendas. The statement was made in a speech during the event that celebrated the sanction of the law that expands Income Tax exemption for those earning up to R$5,000.
“I was listening to the [deputado Arthur] Lira talk about profit sharing. It’s something we’re going to have to move forward with. These are things that modern society demands. We also can no longer continue with the same working hours as in 1943, it is not possible”, highlighted the president.
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The current project that reforms the Income Tax exemption and collection bands exempts those who earn up to R$5,000 and progressively reduces the tax burden for taxpayers in the higher bands. Currently, the PLR is exempt for those who receive up to R$7,640 in bonuses, while higher incomes are taxed between 7.5% and 27.5%.
During the event to sanction the new exemption band, Lula highlighted that, although the measure represents a great change, it will not be enough to “save Brazilian humanity”. According to him, it is up to governments to raise Brazil to a level of development and reduce inequality.
The president also tried to minimize that of the presidents of the Chamber, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), and of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP). Behind the scenes, the absence is seen as another sign of the distance between the government and Congress.
In a speech, the Minister of Institutional Relations, Gleisi Hoffmann, sought: “Congress had the sensitivity to understand this objective and, for this, I want to thank each deputy and senator. I would also like to thank presidents Hugo Motta and Davi Alcolumbre. The absence of the presidents in no way overshadows the important guidance and support they gave to the matter”, he highlighted.
