President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced he will veto a provision in electoral reform bill PL 4.822/2025 — approved by the Chamber of Deputies — that allows automated sending of electoral messages to pre-registered voters without being classified as mass messaging. The statement was made during an interview on TV Brasil's Sem Censura program on Friday (22nd). ✓
Press quotes (1)
"O presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva afirmou que vetará o projeto de lei da minirreforma eleitoral, aprovado pela Câmara dos Deputados"
"It cannot be. And now the caucuses approved something that will foster the use of robots in elections. I will certainly veto it," said Lula, who promised to first work to prevent Senate approval. The president justified his position by arguing that artificial intelligence should not be used "in electoral disputes to choose a mayor, governor, or deputy." ✓
Press quotes (1)
"Não pode. E agora as bancadas aprovaram uma coisa que vai fomentar o uso de robô na eleição. Eu certamente vetarei. Primeiro vou trabalhar para o Senado não aprovar. E depois eu vetarei"
The bill, authored by Pedro Lucas Fernandes (União-MA) with reporting by Rodrigo Gambale (Podemos-SP), was approved in symbolic voting on Tuesday (19th). The text establishes that "messages sent through registered numbers, intended for pre-registered people, do not constitute mass messaging even when carried out through automated systems or bots." ✓
Press quotes (1)
"Aprovada pelos deputados na última terça-feira (19), a minirreforma eleitoral ( PL 4.822/2025 ) passará agora pelo crivo do Senado."
Under current TSE rules, mass messaging is defined as a coordinated strategy of sending content to large numbers of recipients and is prohibited without voter consent. The new rule would create an exception for parties with official registered numbers, even using automated systems, as long as directed to previously registered audiences. ✓
Press quotes (1)
"Desde 2024, o tribunal define disparo em massa como estratégia coordenada de envio, compartilhamento ou encaminhamento de um mesmo conteúdo, ou de variações dele, para grande número de destinatários"
PL 4.822/2025 was approved by the Chamber of Deputies in symbolic voting on Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Covered by only some sources, or where the accounts diverge.
Covered by only some sources (2)
Conflicting versions (1)
Voting date of PL 4.822/2025 in the Chamber
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What is the exact wording of the provision Lula intends to veto in PL 4.822/2025?
Why it's still unknown: Press sources cite the content of the provision but do not identify the specific article and paragraph of the approved text
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How does the TSE legally assess the compatibility between PL 4.822 and its current resolutions on mass messaging?
Why it's still unknown: Superior Electoral Court has not yet publicly commented on the conflict between the new rule and current regulations
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What are the prospects for the mini-reform's processing in the Federal Senate?
Why it's still unknown: Sources do not report on rapporteur composition, schedule, or position of party leaderships in the Senate