Renan Filho joins the list of candidates to lead the Ministry of Planning

The former governor of Alagoas and elected senator Renan Filho (MDB) joined the list of candidates to lead the Ministry of Planning in the new government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).

The former governor of Piauí and senator-elect Wellington Dias (PT) is also on that list. Both are seen as tested managers in charge of their states and, therefore, emerge as possible nominees.

In the evaluation of PT members, the fact that he is an economist and his performance in managing the accounts of the state of Alagoas during his two terms in office, between 2015 and 2022, weighs in favor of the name of Renan Filho.

When he took office, the state had a risk rating of C, the second worst in the National Treasury methodology, indicating a delicate financial situation and the impossibility of relying on the Union’s guarantee in contracting loans. In 2017, the classification grade changed to B and has remained at this level ever since.

Acting as a manager and the fact that he belongs to another party are seen behind the scenes as factors that could contribute to a good reception of Renan Filho’s name even in the market.

Others quoted for the post, Wellington Dias and former Federal Budget Secretary Esther Dweck are figures linked to the PT, which could be interpreted as a lack of counterpoint in the management of economic policy. In the PT’s logic, an MDB name would signal a movement of the new government towards the centre.

Initially, Lula’s allies planned to do a double with Fernando Haddad in Finance and Persio Arida, one of the fathers of Plano Real, in Planning. However, Persio told the Sheet have no intention of taking office.

The Planning folder does not exactly fit the ministry profile that the MDB bench has claimed for the party. The acronym aims to command an end area, that is, one that acts directly on public policies, with results at the end.

The list of folders desired by the legend includes Infrastructure, National Integration and Cities.

However, the Ministry of Planning must be strengthened in the configuration presented by Haddad for the redesign of the government’s economic area. The portfolio should remain with the Budget Secretariat and could play a relevant role in the new government’s investment strategy, making it more attractive to the MDB.

Name was quoted for Mines and Energy, ministry coveted by Lira

Renan Filho was even considered for the command of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, a portfolio historically led by names linked to the MDB.

The leadership of the MME, however, is also being coveted by the mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), who is a political opponent of Renan Filho in the state.

Lira defends the name of an ally, federal deputy Elmar Nascimento (União Brasil-BA). The parliamentarian’s name, however, faces resistance in the energy sector itself.

If the former governor of Alagoas is in fact nominated for Planning, there is a fear that the MDB will lose the opportunity to occupy that ministry, giving way to some other party or even some political opponent.

The reform of the ministerial structure, under discussion in the elected government, may not only recreate the Ministry of Planning, Management and Budget, but also subdivide the portfolio.

The possibility of separating budgetary and personnel management (short-term activities) from the preparation of projects and public policies with a long-term vision is under analysis.

According to reports made to Sheet in recent weeks, the proposal to separate short- and long-term tasks did not come from the political area. It is a suggestion initially defended by technicians.

However, the split would contemplate the coalition’s ambition to recover the government’s capacity to elaborate public policies of a structuring nature.