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Thousands protest against Temer, reforms in Brasilia

25 May 2017 00:08 (UTC +04:00)

Thousands of protesters gathered in the Brazilian capital on Wednesday to demand early elections to replace the scandal-hit government of President Michel Temer and demand that congress not pass his unpopular austerity policies, APA reports quoting Reuters.

Temer last week refused to resign in the face of new corruption allegations against him and his closest aides, putting his government and its reform agenda on the brink of collapse.

Unions and leftist parties opposed to Temer's labor and pension reforms called the Occupy Brasilia protests to press for his downfall.

The large crowd gathered by midday near Brasilia's Mané Garrincha soccer stadium and more were expected to join them as they march down toward Congress.

Riot police set up cordons around the modernistic Congress building where lawmakers met to discuss a post-Temer transition should the president resign or be ousted by one of Brazil's top courts. If that happens, Congress would have 30 days to pick a successor to lead Brazil until elections late next year.

The parties of Temer's main allies are split over whether to quit his coalition immediately or first agree on a consensus figure to replace him and save the agenda of reforms that are considered vital to restore business credibility and investment needed to end a two-year recession.

Outside, the message demonstrators chanted was clear: "Out with Temer!, general election now!"

The unions were galvanized by opposition to a bill that cuts their power in the workplace by allowing temporary non-unionized contracts and ending obligatory payment of union dues.