The relationship between the government (PT) and is seen by 70% of the population as more confrontational than collaborative, according to new research.
Another 20% see more cooperation than conflict, while 2% say they see neither one nor the other, and 8% say they don’t know.
The margin of error is plus or minus two percentage points. The one across the country, on Tuesday (12) and Wednesday (13), and was registered with the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) with number BR-00290/2026.
Most of the interviews were carried out before the revelation of conversations in which senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) asked for money from , then owner of Banco Master.
The electorate’s opinion seems to reflect the series of clashes between the Executive and Legislative branches that occurred during Lula’s current term. They reached their peak at the end of April, with the historic rejection, by , of the nomination for a vacancy on the (Supreme Federal Court).
Since 2023, Congress has imposed a series of setbacks on the government. That year, for example, from the Environment and Indigenous Peoples portfolios.
In 2024, parliamentarians overthrew prisoners and the “PL do Veneno”, about pesticides. In 2025, they prevented changes to the IOF (Financial Operations Tax) rates, in the first reversal of a presidential decree since the Collor government, and also blocked a provisional measure that increased taxes. The government and the PT reacted with criticism on the networks with the motto “Congress, Enemy of the People”.
This year, in addition to blocking Messias, the Senate overturned Lula’s veto on reducing sentences for those accused of coup acts.
On the other hand, Lula managed to see the tax reform and income tax exemption for those earning up to R$5,000 approved in the Legislature and made an agreement with the president of the Chamber, (-PB), to vote on the proposal that ends the 6×1 work schedule, considered strategic for the PT campaign.
Among those who think there is more confrontation than collaboration between the government and Congress, 89% say this is negative for Brazil, and 10% consider it positive. In the minority group, which sees collaboration, 58% say that the Lula-Congress relationship is positive, and 38% describe the partnership as negative for the country.
At this moment, the PT member remains close to Motta and tries to overcome the tension with the head of the Senate, (-AP), after the veto of Messias’ nomination.
Lula’s objective is to advance proposals such as the one that should be voted on in the Chamber this month. In the Senate, the idea is to approve it, currently on hold.
Congressional Assessment
The survey also shows the Legislature in decline among the population. The performance of federal deputies and senators is considered bad or terrible by 37% of those interviewed, and good or excellent by 15%. The largest portion, 43%, says that Congress is regular.
The situation is worse than what was measured in December last year, but it remained the same at the beginning of March. At that time, 39% considered the Brazilian Legislature to be bad or terrible, 14% saw it as excellent or good and 42% classified it as regular.
Dissatisfaction with the Chamber and the Senate does not change significantly depending on whether Bolsonaro or PT look at it. Among those who classify themselves in the first way, 15% consider the work good or excellent, 43% see it as average and 37% as bad or terrible. The division between PT members is 17%, 40% and 37%, respectively.
Middle-income and more educated Brazilians are more dissatisfied with Congress compared to poorer and less educated Brazilians.
Considering different social strata, Congress’s positive assessment reaches 21% among businesspeople and people with complete primary education. The negative evaluation varies to 47% among public employees, 43% among those over 60 years old, 34% among women and 31% among evangelicals.
Brazilian discontent with deputies and senators gained new contours with the intensification of the PP crisis, the consequences of which recently affected two senators — the presidential candidate of , (RJ), and the president of the PP, Ciro Nogueira (PI).
Flávio, owner of the bank, throughout 2025 to finance a film about Jair Bolsonaro (PL), while Ciro is suspected of having received R$300,000 a month from Master to defend the bank’s interests.
Despite the scale of the scandal, last month, an agreement was reached with the opposition in exchange for overturning Lula’s veto of the law that reduces sentences for those convicted of coup plots. The installation of the commission is still defended, however, by PT and Bolsonarists on the networks.
At the end of April, it led the left to resurrect the slogan “Congress, the enemy of the people.”
Datafolha also pointed out that, after three years and four months of office, 29% classify it as regular.
