Lula Advances EU–Mercosur Push in Germany, Secures €500 Million Climate Pledge

Overview

• In Hannover on Monday, Lula and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced cooperation deals in areas such as defense, AI and energy, alongside a €500 million German contribution to Brazil’s Climate Fund.
• Lula promoted the EU–Mercosur agreement set to take provisional effect on May 1, urging Europe to factor in Brazil’s low‑carbon energy mix and to drop barriers on Brazilian biofuels and contested carbon metrics.
• He argued Brazil is feeling less of the Iran war oil shock because of its energy structure and a federal package that zeroed PIS/Cofins on diesel and pays a per‑liter subsidy, which the Finance Ministry says cut prices by R$0.64 through December 2026.
• Back in Brasília, STF Justice Gilmar Mendes filed a notícia‑crime asking Justice Alexandre de Moraes to add ex‑governor Romeu Zema to the Supreme Court’s ‘fake news’ probe over a satirical video, prompting Zema to say he was not notified and opposition leaders to warn of a threat to political criticism.
• Acting president Geraldo Alckmin backed ending the 6x1 work schedule and moving to a 40‑hour weekly cap with sector‑by‑sector debate, a shift that could change schedules for millions who now work six days for one day of rest.