The formation of a majority in the Senate became an objective in the strategies of President Lula's allies (PT) and the president's main rival, Flávio Bolsonaro (PL).
The renovation this year will involve two-thirds of the House. Brazil has a total of 81 senators, three per federation unit, with eight-year terms. Currently, eight of these 81 vacancies are occupied by substitutes. At the end of the election, the number could be higher because nine senators are running for state governments.
In addition to the possibility of impeachment of ministers of the STF (Supreme Federal Court), an issue that has been the subject of the current elections, senators are monitoring the debt of federal entities. See below, in eight points, why the choice of these parliamentarians is important.
1. Opening of impeachment proceedings against STF ministers
"The flag of impeachment of the STF ministers, raised by the extreme right, unhappy with the convictions of the former president and his allies for attempted coup, caused attention to the dispute in the Senate to be redoubled", says political scientist Tathiana Chicarino, from the São Paulo School of Sociology and Politics Foundation.
If the topic was already relevant before the campaign, accusations of improper relationships with former banker Daniel Vorcaro made the topic even hotter during the election period.
2. Presentation of bills and constitutional amendments
Senators, as well as federal deputies, can present bills, constitutional amendments and legislative decrees, which have the power to change Executive decisions. In addition, they work on thematic commissions, such as the CCJ (Constitution and Justice Commission).
Currently, constitutional amendments are being processed in the Senate that end the re-election of the President of the Republic and change the criteria for appointing STF ministers. Approved in the Senate, the PEC that makes the crimes of rape and feminicide non-bailable and imprescriptible is still being processed in the Chamber of Deputies.
One of the most controversial issues in dispute between the National Congress and the Brazilian Supreme Court is the time frame for the demarcation of indigenous territories. The court understood that setting a time frame contradicts the Constitution. Soon afterwards, the Senate approved a PEC with the aim of establishing a time frame. The institutional impasse keeps the question open.
3. Meeting of nominees by the President of the Republic
It is up to the Senate to conduct hearings for positions appointed by the head of the Executive. In this case, senators function as a check and balance mechanism.
"The President of the Republic appoints certain authorities, but the appointment depends on the approval of the Senate", says lawyer and social scientist Julio Benchimol Pinto. "This occurs, for example, with ministers of the STF, Attorney General of the Republic, president and directors of the Central Bank, heads of permanent diplomatic missions and other authorities provided for in the Constitution."
A recent example was the rejection of the nomination of the Union's attorney general, Jorge Messias, to the STF.
4. Control of the debt of federal entities
"The Constitution gave the Senate the power to set global debt limits for federal entities, establish conditions for credit operations and guarantees and authorize external financial operations of interest to the Union, states, Federal District and municipalities", states Benchimol.
Last month, for example, the Senate authorized the Union to contract a credit operation of up to US$1 billion with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The previous month, the Senate approved international loans for the city of São Paulo.
5. Supervision of government acts
In the case of monitoring government acts, the responsibility is shared between the two legislative houses, which have the assistance of the Federal Audit Court.
"Both can summon ministers, request information, hold hearings, investigate through committees and establish CPIs. The Senate gains exclusive powers at certain times – for example, in the trial of the President of the Republic in crimes of responsibility, after authorization from the Chamber", says Benchimol.
In May of this year, for example, the Senate's Economic Affairs Committee summoned Minister Wolney Queiroz, of Social Security, to speak about the audits carried out by the ministry on state and municipal pension funds, which were directly or indirectly linked to Banco Master.
6. Proposal of amendments to the Budget
There is also a difference between deputies and senators when presenting parliamentary amendments. The Constitution reserves 1.55% of net current revenue for amendments from the 513 deputies and 0.45% for those from the 81 senators, with equal distribution within each House.
"Because there are fewer senators, the individual quota is higher", says Benchimol. He cites the 2026 Budget as an example, in which each deputy received around R$40.2 million and each senator had approximately R$74 million in individual amendments. Half must be allocated to health.
The so-called state bench amendments do not belong to deputies and senators separately: they are defined collectively by the state bench, formed by both congressmen.
7. Vote according to your conscience
Despite generally voting with their colleagues from blocs, parties or federations, senators are not obliged to follow their supporters.
On important issues, such as the dosimetry of sentences for those convicted of participating in the acts of January 8, 2023, related to the attempted coup d'état, and the attempt to reestablish the time frame, there was division between parliamentarians from the same party.
Parties such as the PDT, the MDB and the PSD were divided in the vote on the time frame, with votes for both sides. In the case of dosimetry, PP, MDB and PSD had votes in favor and against.
8. Defend your state’s interests
