The government () and the center clashed again in a vote in Congress this Thursday (27), in yet another chapter in the frayed relationship between the Palácio do Planalto and the Legislative leadership. The clash reflects a scenario that could be repeated in 2026, with the opposition and central allies against the left in the dispute for the Presidency.
This Thursday, deputies and senators imposed new defeats on the government by overturning presidential vetoes on the new rules of and .
Congressmen interviewed by the report understood the votes as a thermometer of what could happen in the negotiations between the government and Congress in the coming days – mainly in relation to the little support expressed so far in the nomination of the (Federal Supreme Court).
A leader from the center says that the government today depends more on Congress than the other way around and speaks of a “feeling of fatigue” between the Legislative leaders and the Executive, given the lack of compliance with agreements — especially in the payment of parliamentary amendments.
In this sense, the command of Congress could make it difficult to approve the Planalto, especially the economic agenda.
The need to establish a calendar for this government agenda was taken by the minister (Institutional Relations) to the president of the Chamber, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), at dinner on Wednesday (26). In addition to the Budget Law, the minister cited proposals such as that of the persistent debtor, the one that cuts tax benefits and the PEC (proposed amendment to the Constitution) for Public Security.
The preparation of the 2026 Budget, which will define what expenses and programs will be carried out in the election year, the Public Security PEC and the approval of Messias are cited by parliamentarians as topics in which the Executive could be defeated.
Furthermore, next week there will be a new session of Congress to analyze another round of presidential vetoes, with the possibility of a new setback for the Planalto.
As revealed by Sheeto , Lindbergh Farias (RJ), which worsened the tension in the relationship with the government and . The president of the Senate, (-AP), was contradicted by Lula in choosing Messias, which has already triggered retaliation, such as .
On Wednesday, both Motta and Alcolumbre were exempt from Income Tax, explaining the political wear and tear.
This Thursday’s Congress session was called by Alcolumbre in yet another message of dissatisfaction from the President of the Senate with the Palácio do Planalto. The crisis with the Executive gave strength to parliamentarians.
According to the government leader in Congress, (PT-AP), there was no agreement with the government to consider the vetoes. The matter was guided, according to him, by “imposition of the majority of congressional leaders, the opposition and the center”.
At the session, Alcolumbre gave a speech to defend himself from criticism that he said he received for having guided the analysis of the vetoes and denied that it was retaliation against the government.
“The vote on this veto is not an isolated political gesture, it is an institutional necessity,” he said.
The Executive did not want to discuss vetoes on environmental licensing at this time, claiming that it would be bad for this to happen right after the (climate change conference) in . In the vote, the opposition sided with the center to form a majority. In addition to taking a stance against the vote, members of the government lamented the overturning of the vetoes.
Gleisi said that this vote “contradicts the government’s environmental and climate effort” after COP30, calling it “bad news.”
The minister (General Secretariat of the Presidency) stated that the overturning of the vetoes is “a shame”. “The majority of Congress decided to pass the herd,” he wrote in a post on the networks.
There is an assessment among members of the government that overturning the vetoes will damage the image of Congress in public opinion. They say that this strengthens the discourse that has been promoted by Lula’s allies in clashes with the Legislature that parliamentarians act against the interests of the people, with the rhetoric of the fight of poor against rich – “us against them”.
Some PT members envisage the possibility that friction with the Legislature could make Lula’s victimization speech possible next year, when the head of government will seek re-election.
This Thursday, for example, groups linked to the PT on WhatsApp disseminated messages critical of Congress. One of them says that the vote represents a direct attack on the future of Brazil and that parliamentarians were “on the side of devastation”, while presidential vetoes “protect” the country.
A Lula aide claims that civil society entities could question in the STF sections of the environmental licensing that the government vetoed and that the Legislature reinstated. The government also does not rule out going to court.
“The government will continue to persist, especially on constitutional issues, which are preserved in accordance with what was vetoed by the president, if applicable, even appealing to the courts,” said Randolfe.
The “us against them” campaign damaged Planalto’s relationship with the Legislature, which found itself attacked on social media and in demonstrations. In the opinion of cardinals from the center, the government has strained the relationship and could reap a positive political balance in the short term, but this could complicate the life of the Executive in 2026 and in the votes scheduled until the end of the year.
