Meeting of the Special Committee of the Chamber of Deputies on the end of the “6x1 workweek.” Photo: Lula Marques /Agência Brasil

By Brasil 247 - The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva believes that the debate over ending Brazil's 6-1 work schedule could become one of Lula's main political assets ahead of the 2026 presidential election. Despite uncertainty surrounding the proposal's progress in the Senate, the Planalto Palace considers the issue already politically advantageous for the president.

According to a report by Folha de S.Paulo, cited by Brasil 247, Lula's allies believe the proposal has broad public support and strengthens the president's image as a defender of workers. A Datafolha survey published in March showed that 71 percent of Brazilians support reducing working hours.

The government expects the Chamber of Deputies to approve the constitutional amendment proposal that would replace the current six-days-on, one-day-off system with a five-days-on, two-days-off model. The expectation follows an agreement between Lula and Chamber Speaker Hugo Motta. Resistance is mainly concentrated in the Senate, where business groups and opposition lawmakers are seeking changes to the text and attempting to slow its progress.

Inside the government's political leadership, the perception is that Lula has successfully brought a historic left-wing labor issue to the center of the national debate. Members of the administration believe that even if the proposal fails in Congress, the president could still benefit politically by arguing that he defended better working conditions while his opponents resisted the measure.

Government allies also believe the strong public support for reducing working hours could create political pressure on lawmakers who vote against the proposal, particularly in the Senate, where two-thirds of the seats will be contested in the October elections.

The proposal establishes a gradual reduction of the workweek. Under the negotiated text, the changes would begin 60 days after the constitutional amendment is enacted. In the first stage, the weekly workload would fall from 44 to 42 hours. After 12 months, it would be reduced again to 40 hours per week.

The government initially supported a faster transition but accepted a longer implementation period to facilitate negotiations in Congress.

According to the report, presidential aides are concerned that traditional social programs have not generated the expected impact on the government's popularity. Officials believe that programs such as Bolsa Família are now viewed by the public as permanent state policies regardless of which political party governs the country.

Within this context, ending the 6-1 work schedule is being treated as an agenda capable of reconnecting the government with urban workers and younger employees, while repositioning Lula around broader labor reform issues.

The proposal also aligns with the president's broader political strategy of reinforcing criticism of the traditional economic system and emphasizing contrasts between workers' interests and business sectors.

Although negotiations are advancing in the Chamber of Deputies, the government acknowledges uncertainty over how the Senate will handle the proposal. Senate President Davi Alcolumbre has not yet indicated how he intends to proceed with the measure.

According to the Folha de S.Paulo report, business representatives have already approached members of Congress to request changes to the proposal, especially regarding the adaptation period for companies to implement the new work schedule.

Even so, the government believes the issue will continue to mobilize public opinion and could become one of Lula's main political banners leading up to the 2026 elections.

(Reported by Brasil 247 on May 26, 2026)