The presidential candidate (Novo), former governor of Minas Gerais, told businesspeople this Monday (22) that, if elected, he intends to require men to complete their studies and take a technical course because the country is “creating a generation of worthless people”. In the case of women, according to him, this requirement will not be made because they “have other duties at home”.
“I see men a lot. Women have other duties at home, they have children, they have a very big difference in relation to men. Men today are invited to work, and people don’t go for a very simple reason: they have the security of receiving a benefit”, he said, during a lecture at (National Confederation of ) in Brasília.
In a speech to an audience of businesspeople, Zema defended a new pension reform, an administrative reform and a review of social programs. “Many here must be having difficulty hiring workers. […] We are creating a generation of worthless people”, he stated, receiving applause with the expression already.
“I want these young people, those who haven’t completed elementary school, to complete it. Today there is no such requirement. […] I want to place these demands on men. Woman, once again, I said it’s different”, he added.
One points out that 68.8% of beneficiaries aged between 11 and 14 in December 2014, and 71.25% of those aged between 15 and 17, left by October 2025. This year, the IMF (International Monetary Fund) pointed out that Bolsa Família has not systematically reduced the participation of women in the workforce.
Zema also defended the work regime paid per hour worked, an alternative to the CLT (Consolidation of Labor Laws). The former governor repeated his criticisms about the end of the 6×1 scale, which awaits progress in the Senate.
“Productivity is the key to increasing the income of any economy in the world. And people are selling the idea of a stroke of the pen that will make workers earn more. Unfortunately, Brazilians sometimes still believe in this type of thing, like the issue of the 6×1 scale.”
The event will also be attended by presidential candidates () and (). (PT) and Renan Santos (Missão) were invited, but refused. As shown by , Lula and Flávio are isolated in the lead in the first round, with 41% and 31%, respectively. Caiado scores 3%, and Zema, 2%.
Another moment in which the former governor was applauded was when he stated that he will “privatize everything in Brazil”, mentioning the sale of Cemig and Copasa in Minas. “For me, there is no sacred cow when it comes to state-owned companies. […] The State serves to serve politics and not economic development.”
In his speech, Zema also repeated the three main points of his government plan: shock of morale, shock against criminals and shock against what he called “Lula and PT’s spending”. He stated that he took Minas Gerais out of calamity and deficit by reducing expenses.
Zema also said that he “always considered politics a criminal activity”, but would have changed his mind when deciding to run for Government of Minas. Even so, he stated, regarding Brasília: “The amount of sewage here is enough to flood the rest of Brazil.”
The pre-candidate once again criticized the main competitor for votes from the right, senator Flávio Bolsonaro. At the event, he stated that he lived in the same city as the “criminal banker”, in reference to the owner of the , but never met him.
“He never even asked me for an audience. Assombração knows who to show up to and he never showed up to me,” he said. “No pre-candidate has criticized the untouchables’ party as much as I have. I have no tail tied.”
In his speech, Flávio stated that, if he is elected to the Presidency, he will revoke the tax reform regulations, considering that the changes will lead to an increase in the tax burden. He criticized the Lula government’s economic policy and said he will have a government of fiscal austerity.
For Flávio, the reform will increase the tax burden at a time when the rise in taxes has harmed the economy. “I voted against the reform not because I am against it, but because it will bring the highest value-added tax in the world. That’s why our interest rates are so out of control,” said the senator, who proposed a VAT (Value Added Tax) in the 20% range
The CNI has been in favor of tax reform since it was processed in the National Congress, in 2023. Flávio was questioned about the topic by a CNI advisor, who said he was in favor of changes to the tax system, but the senator maintained his position against the reform.
The pre-candidate also criticized the increase in the Selic rate at the event, which closed at 14.25% last Wednesday (17). According to the pre-candidate, the fiscal policy of President Lula’s government with an increase in public spending affects the control of inflation and interest rates.
“We will tirelessly pursue the reduction of bureaucracy in this government, with predictability and drastically reduce expenses so that we can have ‘Bolsonarian’ interest rates,” he said.
The CNI event focused on the candidates’ economic agenda. Flávio stated that his future government would have an economist in the Ministry of Economy, in a moment that drew applause from the audience of businesspeople. He criticized former Finance Minister Fernando Haddad (PT), whom he called “Taxad”. Haddad is a lawyer with a master’s degree in economics.
Flávio mentioned having the help of Daniella Marques, former president of Caixa listed as a possible minister. “The best economic policy we can make is to pursue fiscal balance at all costs. It will not be difficult to cut expenses. I will have the best team of ministers you have ever seen in your lives,” he stated.
The senator also criticized the STF (Supreme Federal Court), one of the main targets among Bolsonarists. He said that the Court has revoked measures taken by Congress, after “a stroke of the pen” by ministers. “Supremo looks more like a police station, not a constitutional court.”
The last to speak, Caiado also made a series of criticisms of Lula and defended changes in tax reform, which he says would harm some sectors, such as independent professionals.
The former governor of Goiás said that, if elected, he will send a series of reforms to Congress, including labor, administrative and political reforms, proposing district voting. He also spoke about conditions for candidates for vacancies in the STF.
Caiado once again said that “no candidate should resort to the presumption of innocence”. “If there is any doubt, it is not the profile that Brazil expects at the moment,” he said. Asked about referring to the relationship between Flávio and Vorcaro, he replied that he would not “full things out”.
Finally, he stated that Brazil lacks a statesman the size of the Presidency of the Republic, with moral authority.
In the event, the three pre-candidates, including the elected government readjust or change the real earnings rule, so that it is corrected only by the INPC (National Consumer Price Index).
The document also suggests decoupling the constitutional floors of and . As a result, investments in these areas would no longer have a minimum percentage levied on the RCL (Net Current Revenue).
The entity also proposes a reduction in the value of , currently equivalent to a minimum wage. This assistance benefit can be granted to elderly people over 65 years of age or to people with disabilities on leave, even if they have never contributed to Social Security.
Still within the scope of Social Security, the CNI suggests expanding the coverage of the RPC (Supplementary Social Security Regime), with the creation of lifetime income instruments for advanced age.
Another proposal is aimed at reviewing or extinguishing the salary bonus, an annual benefit guaranteed to workers who contribute to PIS/Pasep. For industry, the policy has a low redistributive impact and high tax cost.
