Presidential candidate Renan Santos, of the Missão party, criticized the push to end Brazil's 6x1 work model during the first presidential debate, hosted by broadcaster Band on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
Santos said people should not believe politicians who claim workers will work less and earn more, in a country where even the retail chain Casas Bahia has gone bankrupt.
Attack on Lula's 2022 Promises
Santos went on to attack promises made by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, of the Workers' Party (PT), during his 2022 campaign. He said Lula had claimed Brazilians would be able to eat picanha, a prized cut of beef, and that he would tax imported clothing and electronics without consumers paying the price. Using a Brazilian saying, Santos suggested that when a gift seems too generous, one should be suspicious of it.
Santos argued that improving working conditions requires competitiveness reforms, changes to labor legislation to make hiring easier, and lower taxes on wages.
Cury Defends 5x2 Schedule
Responding to Santos, candidate Augusto Cury defended a transition to a 5x2 work schedule, pointing to burnout rates and a lack of free time among the population. Cury said legislation needs to be adjusted to meet the needs of both workers and companies.
The 6x1 schedule, under which employees work six days and rest one, has become a central issue in Brazilian politics, with proposals before Congress to move toward a 5x2 model offering two rest days a week.
Lula's Absence Criticized
Both Santos and Cury criticized the absence of Lula from the debate. The president gave an interview to rival network Record at the same time the debate was taking place.
Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, of the Liberal Party (PL-RJ), and former Minas Gerais governor Romeu Zema, of the Novo party, also did not attend the debate.
