Back in command of , the senator (União-AP) alternated moments in 2025 as the government’s main guarantor () in the Legislature and friction caused by the appointments of the new minister of the (Supreme Federal Court) and directors of regulatory agencies.
The tendency is for reconciliation in the coming weeks, but stress still appears in private conversations. According to allies, the relationship is still far from the level at the beginning of Alcolumbre’s administration.
The senator from Amapá, who had already been president of Congress from 2019 to 2021, returned to command of the House this year with broad support that included the government and the PT, but also the majority of the opposition. In the following months, he became Planalto’s main ally in the Legislature.
Influential senators from the government base believe that Alcolumbre was responsible for garnering support for projects of interest to the Executive in the Senate and was more important in this role than the government leaders in the Legislature, who traditionally have this role.
Lula faced difficulties in the Senate and had his main source of governance in the Legislature.
Lulista senators complain about the lack of mobilization of the President of the Republic’s supporters to defend government projects and demand changes for the final stretch of the mandate, especially on the eve of the electoral period.
The interactions between the two presidents of Power throughout the year, politicians report to Sheetused to be informal in tone. Last week, both from Alcolumbre and the president of the Chamber, (-PB).
That of the now former STF minister, in October, began a separation between Alcolumbre and the government that evolved into a political crisis, now in the resolution phase.
The president of the Senate and influential members of the House wanted the President of the Republic to choose (-MG) for the open position on the Supreme Court. When , the .
The Senate has not yet voted on Messias’ nomination – he will only assume the seat on the STF if approved by the majority of the House. One of the main supporters of Lula’s nominee, the government leader in the Senate, (PT-BA), lost dialogue with Alcolumbre.
On the same day that Lula announced his choice for the STF, Alcolumbre informed the press that he would put the special retirement project for health agents to a vote in the Senate, .
Allies of the PT member understood the act as retaliation. It is common to refer to projects with a fiscal impact put to a vote against the government’s will as a “bomb agenda”. Alcolumbre.
The president of the Senate said that the government had his support in the most difficult times and recalled the times when the Legislature increased public spending at the request of the Executive.
“O [programa] Nest money costs the Brazilian State R$12 billion a year, and we voted here for 4 million students, which amounts to almost R$100 billion over the next eight years,” said Alcolumbre on November 25. “It wasn’t a bomb,” he said. The senator said the accusations were a cause for indignation.
Alcolumbre repeated the arguments recently in conversations with senior government officials about cutting public spending. The reason was statements by the Minister of Finance, , .
Then, at the beginning of December, the president of the Senate for Lula said that Congress — resources that deputies and senators can send for works in their electoral bases.
Frictions have begun to cool in recent weeks. Lula had conversations with powerful senators close to Alcolumbre, such as (PDT-MA), (PSD-BA), Omar Aziz (PSD-AM), Eduardo Braga (-AM) and (MDB-AL).
At the same time, the government leader in Congress, (PT-AP), an ally of Alcolumbre in Amapá, also worked to bring together the heads of the Executive and Legislative branches.
After the last session of Congress in 2025, Alcolumbre was asked whether he had spoken or would speak with Lula. “If I’m invited, I’ll go,” he replied. Both .
Lula thanked the president of the Senate for the projects of interest to the government approved by the Legislature and again defended that Pacheco run for government of Minas Gerais — but heard that the Minas Gerais native is not in that mood.
He also probed him about the climate for Messiah’s nomination, but this part of the conversation was not concluded and the resolution will remain until work resumes in February.
Allies of the President of the Senate assess that the relationship between him and Lula has not yet returned to what it was during most of 2025, but that the current trend is towards improvement.
Before Messias’s appointment, the government and the Senate already had other frictions, such as the impasse in . These positions also require the approval of senators, and disagreements have delayed appointments for months.
Part of the agencies and/or with vacant positions, such as the presidency of the CVM (Securities Commission) and, as of January, two directors of the .
Another point of stress with the government was, , one of those closest to Lula. He was initially nominated by the Senate leadership, but lost support after disagreements over projects and ministry positions, and provisional sector measures were almost rejected amid this conflict.
The PT member, however, refused to fire the assistant.
