Brazilian Congress pushes electoral reform limiting fines and allowing automated voter messages

The Chamber of Deputies approved Bill PL 4.822/2025, a "mini‑electoral reform" that now moves to the Senate for further consideration. The proposal caps fines for disapproved party or candidate accounts at R$ 30,000, payable in up to 15 installments, and bans the seizure of resources from the Party and Electoral Funds, even in labor lawsuits. It also authorises candidates and parties to send mass, automated messages to voters using official numbers, a practice that will not be deemed irregular. The reform shortens the deadline for the Electoral Court to judge party accounts from five to three years, risking case extinction without final decisions. Critics, including the Movimento de Combate à Corrupção Eleitoral and Transparency International, label the text a “grave retrogression” that weakens oversight and raises corruption risks. Opposition figures such as Senator Eduardo Braga (MDB) and Renan Calheiros (MDB) have pledged to vote against it, while supporters argue it streamlines electoral procedures. If passed, the changes could reshape Brazil’s party financing and campaign communication rules ahead of the next election cycle.