President Seeks Public Support as Government Officially Cuts Working Hours

Brazil’s Congress has approved a constitutional amendment reducing the maximum working week from 44 hours to 40. The policy, which could affect more than 30 million workers, is a political victory for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ahead of the second round of the presidential election on 25 October.

The amendment also bans the six-day working week, or 6x1 system, which is currently followed by around 16 million workers. Lula welcomed the decision on social media.

“Ending the six-day working week is not just about changing working hours. It means giving people more time to live, rest, spend time with their families, watch their children grow up, look after themselves and enjoy life,” he wrote, as quoted by The Guardian on Thursday (15 October 2026).

The change is likely to be felt most by workers in retail, restaurants and hotels, where low pay is common. Marilane Oliveira Teixeira, a professor and researcher at the University of Campinas’ research centre, said the six-day schedule made it difficult for workers to have a life outside work.

“People working a 6x1 schedule have virtually no opportunity to enjoy a social life, even at the most basic level,” she said.

She added that the pattern could increase the risk of health problems, workplace accidents and exhaustion, particularly for women who also shoulder unpaid domestic work.

Politically, the decision gives Lula an advantage as he seeks to catch up with right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who led in the first round. Victor Escobar, a researcher at the Laboratory of Parties, Elections and Comparative Politics, said the policy could help the incumbent’s campaign.

“It could indeed benefit Lula’s re-election campaign,” he said. Escobar added that the change to working hours could also shape voters’ perceptions of the economy ahead of the ballot.

The amendment was approved by the Senate on Wednesday, with 76 senators in favour and one against. Flávio Bolsonaro, who had previously opposed the change, also voted in support.

He shifted his position after polls showed the policy was backed by more than 70% of the public, including more than half of his own voters. However, Bolsonaro continues to advocate an alternative linking wages to the number of hours actually worked.

Bolsonaro had earlier warned that reducing working hours could trigger “mass unemployment”, echoing concerns expressed by some business associations.

He has also reportedly told business leaders that, if elected, he would review parts of the amendment. His Senate vote therefore does not necessarily mean he accepts the entire package without conditions.

The proposal originated with the Life Beyond Work movement, which gained traction on TikTok before receiving Lula’s full backing.

Following its passage through Congress, the change will be introduced in stages: a 60-day transition period after approval, followed by a reduction in the weekly limit to 42 hours, before it reaches 40 hours after a further 14 months. This means the policy will not take effect immediately before the election run-off.

As the contest remains close, Lula is also seeking to attract voters with promises of economic benefits and by reaching out to evangelical Christian groups, which have historically tended to support Bolsonaro.

Escobar said the election remained open despite Bolsonaro holding a slight lead. Approval of the working-hours reform is one of the issues that could influence voters’ perceptions ahead of polling day.