English 
Spanish 
5 min read
4 comments
Law revolutionizes the routine of parliamentarians, requiring them to work six days a week. This project responds to the PEC that aims to reduce working hours in Brazil and reignites the debate on privileges in Congress.
Pressure for greater commitment from parliamentarians could transform the routine of the National Congress.
In a turnaround that promises to shake up Brasília, congressman André Janones (Avante/MG) presented a proposal that challenges the current work model of congressmen.
The idea is to force them to adopt the working scale 6×1, the same one that many workers face daily, imposing six consecutive days of work and just one day of rest.
- Will fines be issued? Average speed radars are being installed in different locations in Brazil
- China blocks exports of critical minerals, putting the US on ALERT: Conflict in the $3 trillion market
- New Law means that obscene gestures in traffic will result in heavy fines and loss of points on your driver's license
- Forget traditional asphalt! Brazilian state innovates and uses more than 1,6 million tires to revitalize its highways
In a scenario where citizens fight for fairer working hours, Janones seeks to question the privileges of the political elite and incite a debate about the example that the political class should set for the country.
On the day that the Chamber of Deputies reached the number of signatures necessary to debate the reduction of Brazilians' working hours, Janones' proposal emerged as a forceful response.
The Proposed Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) that aims to reduce the weekly working day to 36 hours was led by Congresswoman Érika Hilton (PSOL/SP) and gathered 216 signatures, exceeding the minimum of 171 required for processing.
Meanwhile, the idea of a Congress where deputies work six-day shifts is gaining traction on social media and raises the question: to what extent is the routine of parliamentarians compatible with Brazilian reality?
What does André Janones' proposal provide?
Janones, who used his social media to make the announcement, classified his proposal as a “bomb”.
In his view, the new scale for deputies would be a necessary measure to align the political class with the reality of ordinary workers.
“For those who don’t know, here we work on a 2×5 scale, that is, we work 2 days and have 5 days off”, commented the deputy in a provocative tone.
According to him, the change is a direct response to the parliamentarians who refused to support PEC 6×1., arguing that the Brazilian people deserve to see their representatives adopt the same burden demanded of many citizens.
Janones was incisive in stating that, if the parliamentarians did not agree to support a reduced working day for the population, then they themselves should be subjected to the 6×1 regime, because “if it’s for the people, it has to be for everyone”, he added, calling on the population to pressure Congress to approve the measure.
The proposal, which has not yet been put to a vote, has generated intense online discussions., attracting comments for and against the change, and reigniting the debate about the privileges of the political class.
The current working regime of federal deputies
In the current model, the routine of federal deputies already differs considerably from that of the average Brazilian worker.
The working hours of parliamentarians are established by the Chamber's internal regulations, with legislative sessions between February and July in the first half of the year, and from August to December in the second.
Weekly activities include three regular sessions, which generally take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with voting taking place in only two of these sessions..
These ordinary sessions begin at around 14 pm and last five hours, but deputies can be called to extraordinary sessions, lasting up to four hours, at different times.
However, on Mondays and Fridays, the sessions are non-deliberative, dedicated only to speeches and parliamentary communications, with no requirement for presence for voting.
Outside the plenary, deputies have commitments in committees, public hearings and events in their offices, where they meet voters, leaders and organize their agendas with advisors and journalists.
Impact and reflections on the new proposal
Janones' proposal provokes an incisive reflection on the gap between the reality of parliamentarians and that of voters.
Many critics point out that changing to a 6-day work schedule would bring more alignment with the daily lives of millions of Brazilians and would increase parliamentary productivity, forcing politicians to dedicate themselves more to legislative activities.
However, there is no consensus on how this measure would affect the quality of legislative work.
The increase in hours may influence the agility and productivity of voting, but there is a risk of overloading parliamentarians, which could reduce the effectiveness of analyzing projects and discussions in committees.
For supporters of the measure, the gain in transparency and commitment can offset possible operational challenges.
Path to approval of the 6×1 scale and next steps
André Janones' proposal still needs to go through several legislative processes to be approved.
To be put to a vote, the project must achieve the necessary support among the deputies. and that it be included in the Chamber's agenda, which could take months or even years, depending on the political articulations in Brasília.
For now, PEC 6×1 should continue to mobilize public opinion and gain traction, especially among voters who see the project as an opportunity to reform the functioning of Congress and increase the accountability of parliamentarians.
A Congress that works like the people?
Janones' project sheds light on a crucial question: should deputies be subject to the same rules they impose on citizens?
In a country where the average worker works hard to meet market demands, this proposal for alignment between parliamentarians' routine and the reality of the people has a powerful symbolic appeal.
But is the political class willing to give up its privileges in the name of coherence and example?
For many, this change would be an important step towards bringing the political class closer to popular desires., but there is still a long way to go.
The question remains: does this revolutionary project really have a chance of being approved and implemented? And, if so, how will it impact the quality of legislative work in Brazil?
Question to the reader: Do you think that forcing deputies to work six days a week would really change the way they represent the Brazilian people? Leave your opinion in the comments!
It would be great to see parliament working the same hours that the majority of the population is subject to!!!
I would change my name to Filomena if that happened. The privileges enjoyed by those in power date back centuries. Especially in third world countries. The idiots work and are fleeced in taxes to maintain the luxurious and privileged life of those in power. This has been going on since the times of European royalty. And nothing has changed. In countries where the people are cultured, things always get tough. After all, equality, even with respect to the positions held, is something to be respected.
It would change a lot. Parliamentarians earn in one day the same as a worker earns in two months and depending on the class, the worker's income would be three to four months for one day of work by the parliamentarian.
For sure!