El marc polític de Brasil

Political Outline

Current Political Leaders

President: Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2023) - the president is both Chief of State and Head of Government
Vice President: Geraldo ALCKMIN (since January 1, 2023)

Next Election Dates

Presidential: October 2026
Federal Senate (for one-third of Senate seats) and Chamber of Deputies: October 2026

Current Political Context

In October 2022, Brazilian voters went to the polls to choose between two polarising candidates in the country's presidential elections. The president at the time, Jair Bolsonaro, was running for reelection against former-president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, one of the most popular leaders in Brazilian history. The far-right candidate, Jair Bolsonaro, had been facing a significant decrease in popularity and shrinking approval ratings, mainly due to his government's management of the pandemic and controversial decisions made throughout his mandate, such as cutting funding for federal education and relaxing gun ownership laws. His opponent in the polls, Lula, had served two terms as president between 2003 and 2010, and was later imprisoned on corruption charges, although his conviction was subsequently annulled. The left-wing leader, with its roots in the labour union movement, continues to be a divisive figure in Brazilian politics, as his image is associated with both the economic boom that lifted tens of millions of Brazilians out of poverty during his mandates and the corruption charges he faced afterwards. Still, his campaign quickly gained momentum and Lula won the polls in October 2022, with 50.90% of the votes (against Bolsonaro's 49.10%). After Bolsonaro’s narrow electoral defeat, however, many of his supporters demanded a military coup and the abolishment of democracy in the country, a frequent component of many right-wing demonstrations in Brazil. In the first week of 2023, one week after Lula had been sworn in as president, about four thousand people stormed the country's capital, Brasília, and occupied and damaged government and judiciary buildings, including Congress, the Presidential Palace, and the Supreme Federal Court. Nevertheless, the authorities quickly controlled the situation and several arrests were made.

Main Political Parties

About two dozen political parties are represented in the Brazilian National Congress. Parties typically group together to form coalition governments. However, politicians often change parties, which has led to weak party discipline.

The main parties by number of seats in Congress are:

- Social Liberal Party (PSL): far-right, conservative, nationalist, militarist, liberal, anti-communism, anti-feminism, anti-LGBTQI+, populist.
- The Worker's Party (PT): centre-left, social democratic. Party with the highest number of elected representatives throughout the country since 2003.
- The Liberal Party (PL): formerly known as the Party of the Republic (PR). Centre-right to right, liberal, conservative, Christian democracy.
- The Progressive Party (PP): right-wing, nationalist, conservative.
- Social Democratic Party (PSD): big-tent party, centrist, liberal, Christian democracy.
- The Democratic Movement Party (MDB): big-tent party, centrist, liberal, conservative.
- The Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB): centre, social-democratic, liberal, conservative.
- The Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB): centre-left to left-wing, social-democratic, economic nationalism, state interventionism.
- Republicans: right-wing, conservative, Christian democracy.
- The Democrats (DEM): centre-right to right-wing, conservative, liberal, Christian democracy.
- Democratic Labour Party (PDT): centre-left, social-democratic, labourism.
- Solidarity (SDD): left-wing, social-democratic, labourism.
- Social Christian Party (PSC): right-wing to far-right, conservative, Christian democracy.
- Podemos (PODE): centre-right to right, nationalist, populist.
- Republican Party of the Social Order (PROS): centre-left, liberal, social-democratic, Christian democracy.
- Brazilian Labour Party (PTB): right-wing to far-right, social conservatism, Brazilian nationalism, right-wing populism.
- Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL): left-wing to far-left, social-democratic, anti-capitalist, environmentalist.
- Forward (Avante): centre, Third Way, populism.
- New Party (NOVO): centre-right to right-wing, liberalism.
- Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB): left-wing, Communism, Marxism–Leninism.
- Citizenship (Cidadania): centre to centre-left, social liberalism, Third Way.
- Patriot (Patriota): right-wing to far-right, social conservatism, economic liberalism, militarism.
- Green Party (PV): centre to centre-left, social-democratic, environmentalist, green politics.
- Sustainability Network (REDE): centre to centre-left, green politics, progressivism, environmentalism.

Executive Power

The President is both Head of State and Government. He or she holds executive power and appoints the Council of Ministers. The President and Vice-president are elected by universal suffrage for a four year term, with the possibility of re-election for a second successive term.

Legislative Power

The legislative power is bicameral. The National Congress is made up of two houses: the Senate (upper house) and the Chamber of Deputies (lower house). The Senate is comprised of 81 members (three members for each of the 26 states and the Federal District of Brasília), each elected on a majority basis for eight-year terms, with one-third and two-thirds of the membership elected alternatively every four years. The Chamber of Deputies is comprised of 513 members, with seats allocated according to proportional representation, elected every four years for a four-year term. There are also legislatures and administrations at the state level in each of Brazil’s 26 states and in the Federal District.

Indicator of Freedom of the Press

World Rank:

111/180

Indicator of Political Freedom

Ranking:

Free

Political Freedom:

2/7

Political freedom in the world (interactive map)
Source: Freedom in the World Report, Freedom House