Michel Temer

Michel Temer
Name	Michel Temer
Birth date	23 September 1940
Birth place	Tietê, São Paulo, Brazil
Nationality	Brazilian
Occupation	Lawyer, Politician
Alma mater	University of São Paulo
Party	Brazilian Democratic Movement
Offices	President of Brazil (2016–2018); Vice President of Brazil (2011–2016); President of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil (1997–2001; 2009–2010)

Michel Temer (born 23 September 1940) is a Brazilian lawyer and politician who served as the 37th President of Brazil from 2016 to 2018. He previously served as Vice President under Dilma Rousseff and held multiple terms as President of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil. His presidency followed the impeachment of Rousseff and occurred amid major controversies involving Brazil's Operação Lava Jato and widespread political realignment within the National Congress of Brazil.

Early life and education

Born in Tietê, São Paulo, Temer is the son of Nakhoul Temer and March Barbar. He is of Lebanese Brazilian descent, with his family originating from Baalbek in Lebanon. He studied at the University of São Paulo Faculty of Law and graduated with a law degree, later becoming a professor of civil law and an academic linked to the university. During his youth he became involved with center-right and centrist circles that included figures from the Brazilian Democratic Movement and later the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party.

Political career

Temer's parliamentary career began in the 1970s when he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil representing São Paulo. He served multiple consecutive terms and became a key leader within the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party and the congressional centrist bloc. As President of the Chamber of Deputies, Temer presided over legislative negotiations involving presidents from the New Republic era, including Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In 2010 he was selected as the running mate of Dilma Rousseff on the PMDB ticket and became Vice President following the Rousseff victory in the 2010 Brazilian general election. As Vice President he maintained influence in the National Congress of Brazil and in coalition-building with parties such as the Brazilian Social Democracy Party and the Progressive Party.

Presidency (2016–2018)

Following the initiation of impeachment proceedings in the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil and conviction by the Federal Senate that removed Dilma Rousseff from office in 2016, Temer assumed the presidency under provisions of the Constitution of Brazil. His administration formed cabinets including members from the PMDB, PSDB, and DEM and negotiated with leaders from the Senate of Brazil and the Supremo Tribunal Federal. During his term he faced mass protests in cities such as São Paulo and Brasília and managed diplomatic relations with heads of state from United States, Argentina, and China. His government navigated the fallout from the Operação Lava Jato investigations and legislative debates over fiscal measures and social policy.

Policies and reforms

Temer's administration prioritized fiscal austerity, proposing measures to control public spending through constitutional amendments and legislative proposals submitted to the National Congress of Brazil. Key initiatives included a spending cap tied to prior-year expenditures and labor reforms debated in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil. His government pursued pension reform proposals and changes to regulatory frameworks affecting the Central Bank of Brazil and the Ministry of Finance. Supporters argued these moves were in line with austerity proponents in financial centers such as São Paulo and international investors in BM&FBovespa, while critics cited impacts on social programs administered in partnership with municipal administrations and state governments.

Corruption allegations and legal proceedings

Temer faced multiple allegations linked to bribery and influence peddling during and after his vice presidency, many connected to investigations by Operação Lava Jato, prosecutors from the Ministério Público Federal, and testimony involving executives from Petrobras and construction firms such as Odebrecht. He was formally charged in several criminal inquiries that reached the STF and prompted rulings in the Polícia Federal. Parliamentary procedures in the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil determined whether charges could proceed, and at times the Senate of Brazil evaluated impeachment-adjacent motions. Legal outcomes included indictments, preventive detentions of associates, plea agreements with business executives, and contested decisions about prosecutorial authorization by the Attorney General of Brazil.

Personal life and legacy

Temer is married to Marcela Temer and has children from previous marriages. Outside politics he maintained a legal practice, academic affiliations with the University of São Paulo, and involvement in community organizations in São Paulo. His legacy remains debated: analysts cite his role in the transition following the Rousseff impeachment, fiscal measures enacted in the National Congress of Brazil, and the shadow of corruption allegations tied to Operação Lava Jato and major Brazilian conglomerates. Historians compare his tenure with other leaders of the New Republic such as Fernando Collor de Mello and Itamar Franco in assessments of institutional resilience and political realignment in early 21st-century Brazil.

Category:Presidents of Brazil Category:Brazilian politicians Category:University of São Paulo alumni