Study finds 2,162 unconstitutional public property donations to churches in Brazil

A new survey by the Observatório do Estado Laico identified 4,802 municipal laws in Brazil transferring public property to religious institutions between 1995 and 2025, with 2,162 cases deemed unconstitutional for exclusively religious use. The group says exclusive religious destinations represent public financing of worship, prohibited by the Constitution. Another 569 laws have social purposes, while 43.2% lack specified finalities, preventing constitutional assessment. The survey covered only 40.5% of Brazilian municipalities, suggesting higher actual numbers. The findings will support the group's request to join as amicus curiae in Supreme Court case ADI 7680, which addresses public property donations. The observatory, founded by legal and economics experts, also plans to create a national secularism index.