100 days of Jair Bolsonaro: Pension reform

Since the elections, it was clear that President Jair Bolsonaro’s first year in office would be defined by the challenge to balance the public accounts through an overhaul of the social security system. This complex matter is by far the most important item on the government’s agenda—and what may decide the fate of the administration come 2022—but didn’t receive much of the president’s attention so far.  

Although the bill reached Congress swiftly, the real battle has not started yet. Analysts and politicians have criticized the government’s negotiation skills and the self-inflicted crises that have overshadowed its priorities. As a result of delays and a sense of inactivity, economic expectations are deteriorating and people are starting to question whether the government will be strong enough to approve not only the pension reform, but further overhauls.

To answer these and other questions, The Brazilian Report reached out to some of the most respected Brazilian experts in politics, economy, and society. Through diverse opinions, we try to understand the present and warn about trends that may define the future of the Jair Bolsonaro administration.

The mother of all reforms?

On February 20, Mr. Bolsonaro delivered the pension reform bill himself in Congress. What started with signs of commitment ended up exposing the government’s fragility in terms of dialogue and priorities. While the fight rages on, the president has sent his economic team to the battlefield and diverts attention on...