President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva enters the last year of government without having fulfilled promises related to public safety, the environment and labor relations, among other topics, made during the election period or shortly after taking office.
Some of these commitments can still be put into practice by the end of this third term, such as the creation of the Ministry of Public Security, but others will hardly get off the ground.
This year, Lula should focus on pressing for the end of the 6×1 work schedule and the Public Security PEC. The president will adopt an agenda that targets the daily lives of a broad segment of society, with the concern of tackling issues with popular appeal for a likely re-election project.
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Lula: journey on the platform
These two proposals will guide the president’s campaign speech and the political clash that the Palácio do Planalto intends to guide in the final stretch of the government. The front line of articulating the issue of working hours was assumed by the Minister of the General Secretariat, Guilherme Boulos.
The group of unexecuted projects includes, for example, the plan to present new labor legislation. The goal of universal access to water for the Brazilian population must also not be achieved.
In the environmental area, despite all the effort to hold COP30 in Belém, the promise of creating a climate authority remains aside, a condition set by Marina Silva to support Lula in 2022.
The design of the body prepared by the Ministry of the Environment has been on hold since 2024 at the Civil House, which did not respond to questions on the topic.
In the social sphere, so far, the Lula government has still not managed to guarantee that “all Brazilians once again have the right to at least three quality meals a day”.
Despite having fulfilled the promise to remove food, the same July 2025 report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/UN) showed that 3.4% of the population has a prevalence of severe food insecurity (people who go without food for a day or more).
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The Ministry of Social Development informs that IBGE numbers indicate a reduction in hunger and inequality, ensuring “the commitment” to reaching people with severe food insecurity.
In addition to removing Brazil from the Hunger Map, the government fulfilled other promises made by Lula in the campaign, such as exempting taxes, approving a tax reform, ending the spending cap and guaranteeing an increase in the minimum wage above inflation.
Lula also advanced policies such as the social tariff on electricity bills and Pé-de-Meia, a savings account for students taken over by then opponent Simone Tebet (MDB) in the campaign and incorporated by the PT member.
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Throughout the 2022 campaign, Lula made promises in speeches, interviews and through a 21-page document registered with the Electoral Court, in addition to a letter released three days before the second round against Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
Search for 4th term
One of the commitments made, not to run for a fourth term, has already been discarded.
On October 25, 2022, Lula posted on his old Twitter account: “I, if elected, will be a one-term president.” On October 23, 2025, during a state visit to Indonesia, the .
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The Minister of Institutional Relations, Gleisi Hoffmann, states that circumstances have changed:
— On the left, to compete and win against the extreme right, I don’t see anyone other than Lula.
The decision to create the Ministry of Public Security also underwent changes over these three years. In the letter released during the campaign, the commitment was clear.
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But, during the transition, the person chosen by Lula to command the area, Flávio Dino, convinced the president not to split up the departments. The public security crisis, which worsened after the police action that left 122 dead in Rio on October 28, changed the situation.
One promise that will not be fulfilled in the way it was presented in the campaign is to propose new labor legislation.
The government program said that the new administration would carry out, “based on broad debate and negotiation, new labor legislation providing extensive social protection for all forms of occupation, employment and employment relationships, with special attention to the self-employed”.
Because of the composition of Congress, Lula’s administration did not move forward with the plan. The government has not given up, however, on guaranteeing rights for workers who work through applications.
Boulos created a working group with the participation of delivery drivers’ representatives. The Ministry of Labor said that the commitments made in the campaign “are in the process of construction and debate” in Congress.
— The objective is to deliver a report on January 27th, concomitantly with the return of the parliamentary recess, and approve the regulation in the first half of 2026 — stated the minister.
Another promise made by Lula in the campaign was to end the secret budget. The government guarantees that the commitment was fulfilled, but experts disagree. Transparency’s program director, Marina Atoji, says:
— The secret budget ended only in its original format, that is, with the use of amendments from the rapporteur. In essence, it continues to exist in other forms created by Congress itself, often in agreements with the government. With increased transparency regarding Pix amendments determined by the Federal Supreme Court (STF), collective amendments became a large canvas for creating these new forms of secret budget.
100 year secrecy
The Comptroller General of the Union (CGU) informs that a work plan, approved by the Supreme Court, brought rules and procedures to strengthen transparency and traceability.
Another topic that was widely explored by the president during the campaign was the end of the secrecy of 100 years of public documents. Three years later, the practice continues to exist.
The CGU says that it issued an ordinance in September 2024 that establishes 15 years as a reference for access restrictions provided for in the law on access to information, requiring specific justification for setting longer deadlines.
Lula also promised to universalize access to water and electricity. Data released in March by Instituto Trata Brasil shows that 32 million Brazilians do not have access to treated water in their homes.
When contacted, the Ministry of Cities reported that it pursues the goal of the Legal Framework for Basic Sanitation, that is, universalization by 2033. It also says that the New PAC selections have already allocated R$61.3 billion for sanitation, of which R$15.2 for urban and rural water supply.
Regarding the universalization of the electrical energy system, the Ministry of Mines and Energy said that Luz Para Todos has already reached 200 thousand families in this mandate. The ministry said it plans to connect another 120,000 this year. Thus, there would be 130 thousand families left for the country to meet demand.
Lula’s campaign promises
- Creation of the Ministry of Public Security: During the campaign, Lula defended the creation of a specific ministry for the area. The proposal provided direct support to governors in the fight against crime.
- End of 100-year secrecy on documents: Lula promised to end the 100-year secrecy right at the beginning of his term. The measure was presented as a way to increase government transparency.
- Regulation of big techs: The government started to defend the regulation of platforms after 8/1. The topic was treated as a priority for democracy and the fight against disinformation.
- Extinction of the secret budget: The model was closed, but new forms of transfer emerged. Experts point out that committee amendments maintain similar practices.
- Proposal for new labor legislation: The plan provided for a broad review, including greater social protection, with special attention to the self-employed, and revocation of points considered regressive.
- Rights guaranteed to app workers: Lula stated that they should have basic rights guaranteed and highlighted the need for social protection and dignity at work.
- Three meals a day for the population: The government is committed to combating hunger in a structured way. Despite progress, the goal of three meals for everyone was not achieved.
- Universal access to electricity and water: Lula promised to resume programs to bring electricity and water to the entire country. The proposal included the reconstruction of initiatives such as Luz para Todos and Cisterns.
- Do not run for re-election: In 2022, the then PT candidate stated that, if elected, he would be a “one-term” president. Lula, however, will run for his fourth term this year.
- Creation of the Climate Authority: The idea was to have a specific body to face climate emergencies. In 2024, Lula announced the measure again during a visit to Manaus.
