GOVERNMENT
Brazil
is a federal republic with 26 states and a federal district. The
1988 constitution grants broad powers to the federal government,
made up of executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The
president holds office for 4 years, with the right to re-election
for an additional 4-year term, and appoints his own cabinet. There
are 81 senators, three for each state and the Federal District,
and 513 deputies. Senate terms are 8 years, staggered so that
two-thirds of the upper house is up for election at one time and
one-third 4 years later. Chamber terms are 4 years, with elections
based on a complex system of proportional representation by states.
Each state is eligible for a minimum of 8 seats; the largest state
delegation (Sao Paulo's) is capped at 70 seats. This system is
weighted in favor of geographically large but sparsely populated
states.
Fifteen
political parties are represented in Congress. Since it is common
for politicians to switch parties, the proportion of congressional
seats held by particular parties changes regularly. The major
political parties are:
-
- Workers' Party (PT-center-left)
- Liberal Front Party (PFL-right)
- Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB-center)
- Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB-center-left)
- Progressive Party (PP-right)
- Brazilian Labor Party (PTB-center-right)
- Liberal Party (PL-center-right)
- Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB-left)
- Popular Socialist Party (PPS-left)
- Democratic Labor Party (PDT-left)
- Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB-left)
- Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL-left)
President Lula was re-elected October 29, 2006 in a second round victory with over sixty percent of the vote, over Geraldo Alckmin of the PSDB. Lula’s PT party failed to win a majority in either the lower or upper houses in concurrent legislative elections and will be obliged to form a coalition with the centrist PMDB party -- which won the most seats in the lower house and may end up with the largest number in the Senate -- and a collection of minor parties. However, party loyalty is weak in Brazil, and it is common for politicians to switch parties, changing the balance of power in Congress. The PT won five of twenty-seven governorships, but the opposition PSDB remains in control of the critical states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais. The PMDB, as in the legislative elections, won the most governorships of any one party, controlling seven states. Because of the mandatory revenue allocation to states and municipalities provided for in the 1988 constitution, Brazilian governors and mayors have exercised considerable power since 1989.
Lula's electoral victory came despite a series of corruption scandals that
resulted in the resignation of senior PT officials and the electoral defeat of
several congressmen from parties allied to the PT. A number of congressional
investigations are ongoing, though Lula has never been linked personally to any
of the scandals.
Principal Government Officials
President--Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Vice President--Jose Alencar Gomes da Silva
Minister-Chief Casa Civil (Chief of Staff)--Dilma Rousseff
Minister of Defense--Nelson Jobim
Minister of Development, Industry, and Trade--Miguel Jorge Filho
Minister of Finance--Guido Mantega
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Celso Amorim
Ambassador to the United States--Antonio Patriota
Ambassador to the United Nations--Maria Luiza Viotti
Ambassador to the OAS--Osmar Vladimir Chohfi
Brazil
maintains an embassy in
the United States at 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20008 (tel. 202-238-2700). Brazil maintains consulates general
in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles; and consulates in Miami,
Houston, Boston, San Francisco, and Orlando.
Type:
Federative republic.
Independence: September 7, 1822.
Constitution: Promulgated October 5, 1988.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state
and head of government popularly elected to no more than two 4-year
terms). Legislative--Senate (81 members popularly elected to 8-year
terms), Chamber of Deputies (513 members popularly elected to
4-year terms). Judicial--Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 lifetime
positions appointed by the president).
Political parties: Workers Party (PT), Brazilian
Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), Brazilian Social Democratic
Party (PSDB), Liberal Front Party (PFL), Social Democratic Party
(PSD), Democratic Workers Party (PDT), Brazilian Labor Party (PTB),
Liberal Party (PL), Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), Communist
Party of Brazil (PC do B), Brazilian Progressive Party (PPB) [Note:
In early 2003, this party changed its name to the Progressive
Party (PP).], Popular Socialist Party (PPS), Green Party (PV),
the Social Liberal Party (PSL), the National Mobilization Party
(PMN), National Workers Party (PTN), Humanistic Solidarity Party
(PHS), and the Party of the Reedification of the National Order
(PRONA).
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