Brazil’s lower house finds compromise in a major reform of the country’s ‘dysfunctional’ tax system

By ELÉONORE HUGHES
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s lower house of Congress has approved a major reform of the nation’s notoriously complicated tax system, showing compromise is possible between the conservative Congress and leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The long-awaited tax reform aims to simplify the system, widely considered overly burdensome for both individuals and businesses, and boost economic growth that has drifted between downturns and doldrums for the last decade. Given last year’s highly divisive electoral campaign, there had been speculation that legislative gridlock could stymie any of Lula’s legislative agenda. In a speech before the vote, Speaker Arthur Lira called on lawmakers to leave partisan divisions aside and support the measure.