Brazil Supreme Court orders parties to explain control of parliamentary amendments

Supreme Court minister Flávio Dino issued a formal order on 15 July 2026 requiring the presidents of all 21 parties with representation in the National Congress to submit, within ten working days, detailed explanations of any mechanisms—such as quotas or reserves—that allow party leaders to influence the allocation of parliamentary amendments. The measure was prompted by an interview given the day before by Liberal Party (PL) president Valdemar Costa Neto, in which he confirmed that party bosses intervene in the indication of amendments. Dino wrote, “Valdemar Costa Neto is a prominent politician and leads one of the largest parties in Brazil, so his public statements merit attention.”

Dino, rapporteur of ADPF 854, warned that if the allegations are confirmed they would constitute “a relevant novelty” in a case that has been tracking the constitutionality and possible irregularities in the execution of budget amendments since 2021. The order also cited recent precautionary asset freezes – R$ 119 million seized from Costa Neto and R$ 6 million from former House president Eduardo Cunha – as part of the ongoing investigation.

Each party must disclose whether its president possesses any “quotas, reserves or other allocation devices,” describe their nature, purpose and scope, identify who authorises their use, provide the legal basis, and submit any formal documents (rules, minutes, etc.) that govern them. The list of parties includes Avante, Cidadania, MDB, Missão, Novo, PCdoB, PDT, PL, Podemos, PP, PRD, PSB, PSD, PSDB, PSOL, PT, PV, REDE, Republicanos, Solidariedade and União Brasil. Failure to comply could lead to further judicial measures aimed at improving transparency and traceability of public resources.