Administrative Reform Loses Steam, Unlikely to Pass Before 2026 Elections

Bill PEC 38/2025 proposes an administrative reform to modernize Brazil’s public service. However, the proposal has lost steam in Congress. As a result, it is unlikely to be voted on before the October 2026 elections. The text calls for performance-based management and goals. In addition, it proposes digital transformation of the public administration, career restructuring, and stricter accountability rules for civil servants.

Why the Bill Lost Steam in Congress

Among the main obstacles is the election calendar. In an election year, lawmakers avoid agendas that could trigger backlash from public servants. That group forms a historically influential voting bloc in several regions. Also, technical staff believe the proposal lacks a deeper diagnosis. Adequate impact studies are also missing for a reform of this structural scale.

Brazil’s National Confederation of Public Servants (CNSP) has already formally recommended rejecting the text. According to the group, changes of this magnitude require “broad debate and commitment to the quality of public service.” Thus, this criticism reinforces the perception that the government moved forward with the proposal without enough dialogue with representatives of the category.

Furthermore, the high party fragmentation in Congress makes it harder to build consensus around the text. According to experts consulted on the matter, administrative reform should only gain traction in a scenario of greater political stability. Therefore, this should only happen in a new legislature, once election-year debate no longer weighs directly on lawmakers’ decisions.

What Comes Next for Administrative Reform

The full progress of PEC 38/2025, including opinions and voting history, can be tracked on the website of the Chamber of Deputies. Meanwhile, political debate in Congress remains heated on other fronts. One example is the fallout from the recent clash at the Supreme Court between Gilmar Mendes and Mendonça. According to experts, the outlook for administrative reform should only change significantly once the new political and electoral landscape is settled in 2026. Until then, the proposal is likely to remain stalled on Congress’s agenda.