By Ludmila Cassio
Brazil's Workers' Party (PT) is already preparing for a weak start in Congress for the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. On Friday (13 November 2026), the party's national president, Edinho Silva, told journalists that the PT wants to build a "broad alliance" with parties of the Centrão to neutralize and isolate the right in Congress. According to him, Lula will begin his fourth term with the smallest number of initial allies.
A coalition the government needs
Edinho said that "for all the changes to happen, we need to build an alliance that neutralizes and isolates the right in the National Congress. And of course, we also need to maintain our capacity for street mobilization." He said it was important to prevent the so-called extreme right, a label he used himself, from holding a majority in both houses.
In practice, Edinho acknowledged that the government depends on parties that were not part of Lula's coalition in the second round of the presidential election. The division of ministries is expected to be defined starting next week. He argued that the president should keep an active dialogue with the leaders of these parties, which will provide support in Congress.
Criticism of amendments, but a need for votes
The same meeting also exposed a contradiction. Edinho attacked congressional amendments, the budget funds that lawmakers direct to specific projects. He said that part of the R$ 62 billion (Brazilian reais) that Congress can execute should go to the government's social programs.
"There is no parallel in the world, there is nothing similar in the world where the National Congress executes 62 billion in the budget. This means the money could be in health, the money could be in education, the money could be in technological development, the money could be in the energy transition, the money could be in culture and sport," he said.
In other words, the PT complains about Congress's power over the budget while at the same time asking for the support of the lawmakers who wield that power.
Electoral reform, quotas and the age of criminal responsibility
Edinho again called for political reform and said the current system "has rotted." He rejected the mixed-member district voting system and defended list voting, with at least 50% women, 30% young people and 30% Black candidates, as well as seats for Indigenous people, people with disabilities and Brazilians living abroad.
On the proposal to lower the age of criminal responsibility, he said the issue was not discussed at the party's national executive meeting. When asked by the press, he said the PT's historic and current position is against tougher criminal laws for adolescents.
Background: Lula, Spain and the Centrão
Lula served as president from 2003 to 2010 and returned to office in 2023. The Centrão (literally "big center") is a loose bloc of centrist and center-right parties in Congress that is known for trading its support for cabinet posts and budget funds. Edinho also commented on Lula's last-minute trip to Spain, scheduled between Sunday (15) and Monday (16) November, to meet Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. He said the Brazilian president had become the biggest leader in the democratic world and would be "in high demand." He avoided saying whether there would be a campaign event alongside Sánchez. The Spanish election is set for 29 November, and the main local polls show an unfavorable scenario for the prime minister.
What comes next
Starting next week, the division of ministries will show the price of the alliance. The government will have to say what it offers the Centrão and how it will reconcile its criticism of amendments with its search for votes.
VDD Analysis
The PT wants to isolate the right, but admits that it cannot govern alone and needs the Centrão, which usually charges a high price for its support in posts and funds. Talking about "isolating" those who won votes at the ballot box also means disregarding a large share of the electorate. Those who favor lower taxes and a smaller state should closely watch what will be handed over to the Centrão in exchange for its support.
