Brazil's Congress wrapped up a week of concentrated legislative work with partial wins for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Lawmakers approved the end of the so-called blusinhas tax on small international purchases, a national policy for critical minerals and a special tax regime for data centers. Two of Lula's priorities, however, stalled: the constitutional amendments ending the 6x1 work schedule and overhauling public safety will only be voted after the October 4 election.
The call belonged to Senate President Davi Alcolumbre. On Thursday (3) he said the vote on the work schedule change will happen after the elections, without saying whether after the first or the second round, according to G1. CNN Brasil reports that Alcolumbre confirmed a new concentrated work window after the first round. Under Brazilian rules, a constitutional amendment cannot be enacted without a vote on the Senate floor.
The 6x1 amendment, which targets the six-days-on, one-day-off shift common in Brazilian retail and services, cleared the Senate Constitution and Justice Committee but stalled in the full chamber. Government leader in Congress Randolfe Rodrigues told reporters after Wednesday's (2) session that he had checked with Alcolumbre on the quorum and concluded not enough senators were present, CNN Brasil reports. The committee text cuts the workweek from 44 to 40 hours in two steps over 14 months and guarantees two rest days, preferably Sundays, taking effect 60 days after enactment.
What passed
The repeal of the blusinhas tax followed a deal among Lula, Alcolumbre and Chamber of Deputies President Hugo Motta. The measure scraps a 20% levy, created by Lula's own government, on international purchases of up to US$ 50, and had to pass by September 8 or it would lapse. Lula is expected to sign it into law next week. To answer criticism from retailers and industry, Congress added periodic reviews of the exemption's impact. Lawmakers also approved the National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals, with a 5 billion reais guarantee fund, and the Redata regime for data centers, with an estimated 5.2 billion reais in federal tax breaks for 2026, according to G1.
Public safety and the Supreme Court standoff
On public safety, the government already concedes there will be no vote before the elections. The bill has not finished its review in the Constitution and Justice Committee, where three amendments remain pending, according to G1. The text gives constitutional status to Brazil's unified public safety system, the SUSP, and to national public safety and prison funds, and sets a fixed funding source. It faced resistance because it draws money from other areas, such as sports: the Brazilian Olympic Committee estimated losses of about 500 million reais, and Olympic sport leaders traveled to Brasília during the week to demand the funding stay, CNN Brasil reports.
Holding the 6x1 vote before the likely runoff became harder amid the crisis at the Supreme Federal Court involving Justices André Mendonça and Alexandre de Moraes. Close to Moraes and at odds with Mendonça, Alcolumbre has resisted pressure from opposition senators to schedule impeachment proceedings against Moraes. This week he defended the justice and took a swipe at Flávio Bolsonaro, Lula's main rival in the race, according to G1.
"Everyone forgot that they asked for 130 million reais for the same person to make a film. And now the only one to blame is Justice Alexandre de Moraes," Alcolumbre said.
Lula struck a more sober tone, saying everyone involved should be investigated and criticizing, without naming anyone, what he called "selective leaks," according to G1. Congress is not in formal recess, but legislative activity has nearly stopped since the campaign began, and lawmakers now return to their states. Government allies are working to convince Alcolumbre to put the 6x1 amendment on the agenda in the work week planned after the first round, which would hand Lula a political win weeks before the likely runoff.