Brazil’s interim president views pension reforms Aims to restore political and economic calm Critics – ‘he’s turned the clock back 30 years’
- Brazil’s interim president views pension reforms
- Aims to restore political and economic calm
- Critics – ‘he’s turned the clock back 30 years’
ADVERTISEMENTBrazil’s acting president Michel Temer has met with union leaders in a bid to get them onside for proposed pension reforms.
Temer who assumed the presidency last week after the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, needs to plug a fiscal gap of more than 10% of GDP to begin pulling Brazil from its worst recession since the 1930s.
Brazil's president impeached. Now what?
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 15, 2016peterprengaman</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/lehman_stan">lehman_stan look at tough road ahead for acting president. https://t.co/qDyVXsraxF
But Temer has been criticised from the start. His all white, all male cabinet hasn’t gone down well with Brazil’s culturally diverse people. And the legitimacy of his presidency has been questioned by Rousseff supporters. Together with early steps such as folding a ministry of women, racial equality and human rights into far bigger ministry of justice, led by a man, Temer is facing street protests.
“Temer’s government is illegitimate, patriarchal, macho and does not represent us. Women will take to the streets every day until his government falls. Strength to Dilma,” said one female demonstrator in Sao Paulo.
“In 24 hours, Temer has reversed 30 years of advances,” said another.
Rousseff has been suspended from office for up to 180 days during her trial on alleged budgetary fraud. Temer has that time to convince voters he is a better leader even if she’s cleared and wants her presidency back.