Brazil Congress approves law permitting federal prosecutors to work privately amid record political spending

The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved Project Law 5531/16, allowing federal prosecutors – including members of the Attorney General's office, the National Treasury Attorney's office and the Central Bank – to represent private‑sector clients. The measure, authored by the Executive, now moves to the Senate. Critics argue the change could deepen inequalities within the public service and erode public trust, noting that prosecutors have already received billions in extra compensation through success‑fee arrangements.

In the same legislative session, Brazil’s lawmakers oversaw an unprecedented surge in public funds earmarked for political campaigns, with a total of R$ 56 billion available for the 2026 elections. Budget amendments have risen dramatically, reaching R$ 40 billion in 2024, and “Pix amendments” alone total R$ 7 billion. The lack of auditability and oversight has spurred corruption investigations, including recent convictions of deputies for bribery linked to amendment allocations. These developments highlight heightened scrutiny of public financing mechanisms and their impact on Brazil’s political landscape.