Those appointed by deputies and senators consumed up to 78.9% of the discretionary budget of PT ministries in 2025.
This is a portion of the Budget that is not restricted by payroll payments, among other obligations, and is used to fund public policies and investments in works and equipment purchases.
The highest percentage was recorded in , a department commanded by appointees from the centrão since the beginning of Lula’s third term. Next, the Ministry of Sports, also headed by a name from the same political group, had 65.2% of the discretionary budget committed last year to comply with parliamentary amendments.
Another three departments had around 40% of their free resources drained by amendments, including the Ministry of Health.
The body commanded by Alexandre Padilha (PT) is the one that executes the largest volume of amendments. In 2025, of around R$47.3 billion committed, more than R$25.7 billion was spent on Health. The money is generally transferred to local departments to pay for hospitals and outpatient clinics.
The amendments committed in 2025 represent around 21.9% of the Executive branch’s discretionary budget, the highest percentage ever recorded. In 2015, nominations drained around 2.5% of this budget.
The resource in the hands of parliamentarians for 2026 may increase, as the Budget approved in December by Congress provides for amendments. President Lula will still have to decide whether to approve or veto the amount.
When contacted, the Ministry of Tourism did not comment on being the department with the highest percentage of the budget controlled by Congress. The indications to the body include R$30 million to support the Bahia Carnival, in addition to works to revitalize tourist attractions and agreements to hold events.
The Ministry of Sports said that parliamentary amendments are one of the tools that allow “to make real the goals of transforming sports into an everyday activity”. “They are used strictly respecting the criteria established by law, serving everyone, without distinction”, he said.
In 2024, the amendments were Sports (74% of the discretionary budget) and Tourism (69% defined by parliamentarians).
In July, aea (Comptroller General of the Union) to investigate the diversion of public resources from parliamentary nominations
The ministry led by André Fufuca (-MA) stated that it has acted in “absolute harmony” with control bodies to ensure effectiveness and transparency in the application of resources. In the case of Sports, the funds from the amendments are directed to social projects that promote football classes, as well as works to build gyms, among other activities.
This year, payment of part of the amendments will still be mandatory before the election period. The nominations, however, will once again be at the center of debates about transparency and the use of public resources.
In addition to the existence of Federal Police investigations into the funds, there is still a lawsuit in the (Supreme Federal Court) that questions their imposition. Minister Flávio Dino, who is the rapporteur of the action, the case and who will ask for space on the Supreme Court’s agenda for judgment by the plenary.
At the same event, Dino stated that the topic “is a fundamental debate in a presidential country”, which “concerns the separation of Powers, checks and balances, the apex of the political system”. “It is an essential debate and of a constitutional nature. It is a legal debate, it is not a political debate”, he stated.
In addition to determining changes to transparency rules for transfers, Dino has authorized police operations, such as the one carried out in December and which targeted Mariângela Fialek, known as Tuca, (PP-AL).
The president of the Chamber, (-PB), has defended the parliamentary nominations. “We have no commitment to those who do not work correctly with amendments. But I am also completely sure that the vast majority of representatives in the Chamber of Deputies, the federal deputies, work correctly”, said Motta in December.
Since 2015, parliamentarians have promoted profound changes, including in the Constitution, to expand the control and volume of amendments. Today, individual and state bench nominations are mandatory.
Congress’ progress on the Budget became clear from 2020 onwards, when there was a jump from R$18.3 billion to R$48.5 billion in committed amendments, considering values updated for inflation. The increase was driven by the so-called rapporteur’s amendment, which the STF would declare unconstitutional in 2022.
During the last campaign for president, Lula referred to the distribution of funds with low transparency as “the biggest corruption scheme today”, “secret budget” and “bolsolão”.
At the beginning of December, the volume of funds defined by Congress. “I think that the fact of sequestering 50% of the Union Budget is a serious historical error. But you will only put an end to this when you change the people who govern and who approve it”, he declared.
The current government, however, is in charge of departments that serve as channels for the flow of amendments, such as the state government and the Ministry of Sports.
