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How Does The Brazilian Presidential Transition Work?

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Casper Libero chapter.

The new president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, takes office for the third time on January 1st, 2023. To do that, he needs to make a presidential transition from Jair Bolsonaro’s mandate to his. The process is done so that the current management can pass on to the next one all the data and information needed for a new government program to be implemented.

Decree 7221/2010 establishes the principles of the transition of government. Thus, the process’s base is the collaboration between both mandates, public administration transparency, planning of actions, and continuity of services provided to society. The supremacy of public interest is also a crucial point for the transition to work. 

Law 10.609/2002 establishes that the transition begins two business days after the presidential election’s result and ends ten days after the elected candidate takes office. So, the transition team has about two months to establish the new government’s guidelines.

During this period 50 Special Positions of Governmental Transition are created to be responsible for understanding the operation of public bodies and preparing the new president’s initiatives. The transition team has access to all data involving the government and matters that require action to be taken. 

“Good morning. We’re a month away from the new year and the inauguration. A day of new beginnings for the Brazilian people. Are you excited?”, wrote Lula on his Instagram account

The team is supervised by a coordinator named by the elected president, which is called the extraordinary minister. In Lula’s government transition, this position was given to elected vice president Geraldo Alckmin (PSB).

Lula’s transition, for example, is supported by three main areas of coordination: Administrative and Legal, Institutional Relations, and Government Program and Thematic Centers, each of them with a respective person in charge.

Alckmin announced 36 names that will be part of seven thematic groups: Communications; Human rights; Racial equality; Planning, Budget and Management; Industry, Trade and Service; Small Businesses and Women. Among the new members are Anielle Franco, sister of councilor Marielle Franco, murdered in 2018, and Bela Gil, daughter of Gilberto Gil, presenter and culinary specialist.

During the presidential campaign, Lula stated that, among his first actions, there will be the withdrawal of Bolsonaro’s information put under 100-year secrecy. In his first speech after the victory on October 30, the president also said that the “most urgent commitment is to put an end to hunger once again”.

The article above was edited by Julia Bonin. Liked this type of content? Check Her Campus Cásper Líbero home page for more!

Júlia Girão

Casper Libero '24

Journalism student at Cásper Líbero