56th Legislature of the National Congress

The 56th Legislature of National Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the Federal Government of Brazil, composed by the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. It convened in BrasÃÂlia on 1 February 2019, a month after the beginning of Jair Bolsonaro's only term as president, and ended on 31 January 2023.

In the 2018 elections, the Workers' Party won the majority of the Chamber with 56 deputies. The Brazilian Democratic Movement kept the majority in the Senate with 12 senators.

Major events

1 February 2019: Rodrigo Maia elect president for a third term as leader of the Chamber.
2 February 2019: Davi Alcolumbre elect president for his first term as leader of the Senate.
4 February 2019: Joint session of the National Congress to officially inaugurate the 56th Legislature.
10 July 2019: The Chamber of Deputies approves PEC 6/2019 (Social Security Reform).
25 September 2019: Public hearing of sub-prosecutor Augusto Aras for Prosecutor General of the Republic in the Constitution and Justice Committee of the Federal Senate. His appointment was approved by the floor of the Senate on the same day.
22 October 2019: Senate floor approves PEC 6/2019 (Social Security Reform).
4 December 2019: Chamber floor approves a substitutive project for Minister of Justice and Public Security Sergio Moro law project "anti-crime".
3 February 2020: National Congress opens 2nd session of the 56th Legislature with a letter from President Bolsonaro read by Chief of Staff Onyx Lorenzoni.
18 March 2020: Chamber of Deputies approves the declaration of public calamity sent by president Jair Bolsonaro due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.
20 March 2020: Senate approves the declaration of public calamity in its first virtual session presided by senator AntÃÂ´nio Anastasia (PSDB-MG).
21 October 2020: Senate approves the appointment of Nunes Marques for the Supreme Federal Court.
1 February 2021: Election for the Director's Board of the Chamber of Deputies and the Federal Senate, with Deputy Arthur Lira (PP-AL) elect leader of the lower house and Senator Rodrigo Pacheco (DEM-MG) elect leader of the upper house.
3 February 2021: National Congress opens 3rd session of the 56th Legislature with a letter from President Bolsonaro.
13 April 2021: Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco (DEM-MG) accepts a request of Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (REDE-AP) and other senators for the creation of an Inquiry Parliamentary Committee to investigate the acts of the federal government in the COVID-19 pandemic.
20 August 2021: The Senate receives an impeachment request against Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes filed by President Jair Bolsonaro.
24 August 2021: Public hearing of Augusto Aras for a second term as Prosecutor General of the Republic in the Constitution and Justice Committee of the Federal Senate. His appointment was approved by the floor of the Senate on the same day.
25 August 2021: Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco rejects and archive the impeachment request against Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
26 October 2021: COVID-19 CPI in the Senate conclude its works with the approval of the report in a voting of 7-4, recommending criminal charges against 2 companies and 78 individuals, including President Jair Bolsonaro.
1 December 2021: Senate approves the appointment of AndrÃÂ© MendonÃÂ§a for the Supreme Federal Court.
2 February 2022: National Congress opens 4th and last session of the 56th Legislature with speeches of President Bolsonaro, Chamber President Arthur Lira and Senate and Congress President Rodrigo Pacheco.
7 December 2022: The Senate approves PEC 32/2022 (Transition Act), to guarantee extra R$ 145 billion (US$ 27.38 billion) for the 2023 budget plan as requested by the transition team of President-elect Luiz InÃÂ¡cio Lula da Silva.
1 January 2023: Luiz InÃÂ¡cio Lula da Silva is inaugurated as President of Brazil.
8 January 2023: The Congress, the Planalto Palace and the Supreme Federal Court are stormed by former president Bolsonaro supporters. Justice Minister FlÃÂ¡vio Dino reports at least 1,500 were arrested.
10 January 2023: The Congress approves the federal intervention in the Federal District.