President Lula signed the Income Tax exemption for incomes up to R$ 5,000, in a ceremony marked by the absence of congressional leaders like Hugo Motta and Davi Alcolumbre. Folha readers praised the measure as beneficial for workers but criticized the Legislature for alleged undue interference. The event highlights growing friction between the Executive and Parliament.
On November 26, 2025, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed the law exempting monthly incomes up to R$ 5,000 from Income Tax, a measure hailed by many as relief for Brazil's working class. The ceremony, however, took place without the attendance of the Chamber of Deputies President, Hugo Motta, and Senate President, Davi Alcolumbre, amid a crisis between the government and Congress, as reported by outlets like Mercado and Brasília Hoje.
Folha de S.Paulo readers shared divided views in the Reader's Panel. Rubens Moreira da Costa Júnior, from São Paulo, praised Lula: "Great President Lula, the only one with the courage to sign a law that benefits most Brazilian workers." Sonia Lucia Lucena Sousa de Andrade, from Recife, condemned the absences: "It is clear that the recent presidents of the Chamber and Senate want to assume the role of the country's president without being elected for it. Every day the parliament embarrasses us more."
Diva Negri, from Florianópolis, questioned the Legislature's representativeness: "They fight among themselves and the people pay the bill? Who do you legislate for?" These comments underscore perceptions of political blackmail and lack of focus on public welfare, within a context of institutional tensions impacting governance. The sanction will benefit millions of taxpayers starting in 2026, but the episode reinforces divisions between the branches of government.