CONGRESS
Elections loom large as Congress goes back to work
House Speaker Hugo Motta (center) and Senate President Davi Alcolumbre (right): they decide what lawmakers will vote on and when during this busy election year. Photo: Lula Marques/EBC
Brazil’s Congress returns from its end-of-year recess today, kick-starting what will be a compressed and high-stakes 2026 for the legislature. With October’s general elections already looming, the House and the Senate will only be working at full capacity for the first half of the year, before the campaign season reduces attention (and attendance) in both chambers.
The vote in October underlies all of this year’s legislative priorities, already influencing lawmakers’ behavior. All calculations and negotiations are being filtered through the prism of electoral risk and reward.
👉 Why it matters. The opening months of 2026 are the final window for any meaningful lawmaking before electoral politics take over. What Congress approves (or doesn’t approve) will shape President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s re-election narrative, define how Brazil responds to public demands on security and labor, and set the tone for institutional stability (or lack thereof) in a polarized year.
Here are the main issues shaping the start of Brazil’s 2026 legislative year:
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