Far-right and centrists create PEC of destruction

Millions of public servants across the country celebrate their day, October 28th, under serious threat – PEC 38/2025, which began its process in the Federal Chamber last Friday (October 24th).

Under the deceptive guise of ending privileges and making public administration more efficient, the alliance between the far-right and the center is attempting to implement an administrative reform whose clear objective is to reduce the size of the civil service and directly attack the rights of public employees, especially those who earn the least.

And the PEC is just the tip of the iceberg of a package prepared by a working group coordinated by Congressman Pedro Paulo (PSD-RJ) and reported by Zé do Trovão (PL-SC), in a proposal that will lead to the dismantling, inefficiency, outsourcing, and privatization of public services.

It is an insult to speak of "privileges" when it is known that 62% of federal employees earn up to R$ 7, compared to average salaries of R$ 4.850 among state employees and R$ 2.800 among municipal employees — all working in essential areas such as health, education, public safety, and social assistance.

It is either mockery or ignorance to speak of bloating when one knows that Brazil, with its more than 200 million inhabitants, has only 12 million public servants (across all three branches of government), a number insufficient to adequately serve the population. Countries where the so-called welfare state is a commitment, such as Denmark and Sweden, have three times as many.

A PEC of destruction It is a threat, primarily to the population. Most of society knows this, having already suffered from the lack of teachers, healthcare professionals, sanitation workers, police officers, and so many other typical public service activities.

The measures proposed in the PEC (Proposed Constitutional Amendment) envision a radical change in the structure of the civil service and remove rights from workers in municipal, state, and federal services, especially those who earn lower salaries. As a predictable result, they will harm the quality and quantity of services provided.

Among the most worrying points are the reduction of starting salaries, the increase in the probationary period to three years, the strengthening of temporary hiring (which weakens the public service and paves the way for arbitrary or political hiring and firing), the dismantling of career paths, and the forecast of cuts and limitations on expenses for public bodies and autonomous agencies. It further penalizes retirees and pensioners, already severely affected by years of wage freezes.

This is the biggest attack ever made on the sector, concentrating power at the top and weakening the stability (which will now be limited to 10 years) and autonomy of civil servants. It is important to remember that it was thanks to stability and autonomy that a civil servant had the courage to stop the illegal removal of nearly R$ 17 million worth of jewelry that Bolsonaro wanted to usurp from the Union (when will he be judged for this crime?).

The far-right and the center assure that the changes will "only" apply to those who enter the public sector after the PEC (Proposed Constitutional Amendment) is approved. In other words, it will be a tremendous disincentive to entering the civil service, with a predictable impact on the quality and capacity of services in the medium term. A snowball effect.

This proposed Constitutional Amendment 38/2025 is almost a rehash of a 2021 amendment that was already rejected by Congress. We need to fight for its rejection again. Brazil doesn't need a smaller state—it needs a strong and adequate state to serve the entire population with quality, speed, and efficiency.

Federal Deputy Reimont (PT-RJ)