MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Temer urges presidential hopefuls to ensure a continuity of current economic policies

“My greatest desire right now is that what was started does not come to an end. We need to continue”, president Temer said at an event in FIESP

Brazilian President Michel Temer on Monday called for continuity of his policies after the end of his term in December. At a business event in Sao Paulo, the president urged his successor to maintain the agenda implemented by the current administration and said the reforms he initiated need to be continued.

 Temer said the presidential candidates should not be “radical” and warned them that it is impossible to govern without the Congress, during an address to the powerful industry lobby FIESP, Industry Federation of the Sao Paulo State.

“My greatest desire right now is that what was started does not come to an end. We need to continue, and that requires a four-year term, maybe eight years,” he said. “Continuing the implemented projects is essential.”

Brazil will hold general elections in October. The leading presidential candidate is former president Lula da Silva, but it remains unknown whether he will be in the campaign, as he is currently in prison.

Lula completely opposes Temer's policies and a government of his would mean a sharp shift in the current austerity and privatization economic policy. The runner-up in all polls is ultra-right-winger Jair Bolsonaro, whose economic ideas remain unclear, as he has not focused on this field in most interviews so far. However, he is likely to maintain many of the Temer administration's measures.

The same goes for Geraldo Alckmin, from the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), which was an ally of the Temer administration for a significant share of the government. Democratic Labor Party's Ciro Gomes is more likely to take a different path in the economic field.