Brazil’s 2022 budget approved by Congress
Brazil’s Congress Tuesday evening (Dec. 21) approved the final report on the country’s budget bill for 2022. The matter is to be submitted to the president for sanction.
Next year’s budget include total expenditures of BRL 4.82 trillion—of which BRL 1.88 trillion stems from refinancing the public debt.
The document was approved at a separate Congress session, as has been the case during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the lower house representatives, the bill was accepted by 358 and rejected by 97. At the Senate, the text received 41 favorable votes and 20 against.
Among the hottest budget-related topics are the new minimum wage, adopted nationwide; the funds earmarked for political parties, to finance the 2022 elections; and the Brazil Aid (Auxílio Brasil)—the initiative designed by the current administration to supersede the Family Allowance (Bolsa Família) cash transfer program.
Minimum wage
The budget sets the nation’s monthly minimum wage at BRL 1,210 ($210.90) for the next year—up 10.04 percent from the current BRL 1.1 thousand ($191.73). The change accounts for the government’s estimate for the National Broad Consumer Price Index (INPC), which gauges Brazil’s inflation. The forecast points towards another year with no real gains.
Funding for political parties
In the original bill from the Executive, the public financing of electoral campaigns would total BRL 2.1 billion next year. The amount was altered by Congress. In its first draft, BRL 5.1 billion would be allocated, compared to the approved BRL 4.9 billion.
Brazil Aid
A total of BRL 89 billion was set aside for the payment of the Brazil Aid, at a monthly BRL 400 ($69.72) per family. In the original bill, submitted by the Executive, the value stood at BRL 34.7 billion.
