Political scientist Rafael Cortez says the election result has made Senate approval of a constitutional amendment to end the six-days-on, one-day-off work schedule less certain. He also points to the contest over leadership of the upper chamber.
In an interview with Hora H on October 5, political scientist Rafael Cortez assessed how Brazil’s first-round election results could reshape Congress’s agenda in the coming weeks. A central issue is a constitutional amendment that would end the 6×1 schedule, under which employees work six days and receive one day off.
Cortez linked the proposal’s prospects in the Senate to the political interests of its president, Davi Alcolumbre, who wants to remain in the post. The analyst said it would be harder to secure support for the amendment if President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva cannot change the balance of power established in the first round. Leaders of the PL, expected to hold the largest bloc in 2027, have also signaled interest in competing for the Senate presidency in the next legislature.
Passing a constitutional amendment requires a qualified majority, which Cortez described as difficult to assemble in the current electoral climate. He said using the 6×1 proposal as a campaign issue before the runoff was possible, but did not consider it the most likely scenario.
Cortez also offered two reasons why government efforts had not translated into stronger popularity. The first was economic: high household debt, he said, has prevented families from feeling financially secure. Programs such as Desenrola offer targeted relief but do not resolve the structural cost of servicing household debt, in his assessment.
The second factor is how voters perceive government measures. Cortez said some voters saw them as opportunistic or poorly designed to address public demands. He cited the government’s approach to sports betting and issues affecting app-based drivers as examples.
Cortez does not expect major new themes to emerge in public debate during the three weeks before the runoff. He said the government would likely focus on improving its communication after first-round discussions of the Supreme Federal Court, sovereignty and rare-earth minerals failed to connect with voters’ everyday concerns. The 6×1 proposal could receive more attention, alongside a return to issues already raised during the first-round campaign.