Brazil advances elderly rights with new law and council election delay

The Municipal Council for the Elderly (CMI) in São Ludgero postponed its general assembly to elect civil‑society representatives for the 2026‑2028 term. The indefinite delay was made to await the passage of Ordinance Law No. 22/2026, which updates the municipal policy on elderly rights and expands council representation. The postponement was signed by CMI president Valdira Matias, and municipal Social Assistance Secretary Fernanda Tomaz said the waiting period ensures transparency and legal certainty.

At the federal level, the Chamber of Deputies' Commission for the Defense of the Rights of Older Persons approved a priority procedure for judicial cases concerning abandonment of elderly persons. The amendment, submitted as a substitute to Bill PL 1427/2026 by Deputy Duda Ramos, would give such cases precedence in the Elderly Statute. The proposal now moves to the Constitution and Justice Commission and, if passed by both chambers, will become law. The commission cited roughly 180,000 complaints of elderly rights violations in 2024, double the 2020 figure.