Senator Flavio Bolsonaro switches to support 40-hour workweek reform

Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro said he will back a constitutional amendment that would reduce the national workweek to 40 hours, ending the six-day schedule common in sectors such as retail. The proposal, passed by the lower house in May, is slated for a Senate vote the day after Bolsonaro’s announcement, ahead of the October 25 presidential runoff against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro, who leads the first-round poll with 47% of votes, framed his change as aligning with the roughly 70% of Brazilians who support the cut, and called for measures to offset business costs.

Lula welcomed the decision, attributing it to street protests and public pressure, while his allies hope to secure the reform before his term ends. Political analyst Leandro Gabiati described the shift as a strategic move to avoid alienating voters on a popular issue. Business representatives expressed lingering reservations but said they would not feel betrayed by the senator’s reversal.