Editing Politics of Brazil

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{{Infobox political system
| name                          = Politics of Brazil
| native_name                   = Política do Brasil
| image                         = Coat of arms of Brazil.svg
| image_size                    = 150
| caption                       = [[Coat of arms of Brazil]]
| type                          = [[Federation|Federal]] [[Presidential system|presidential]] [[Constitutionalism|constitutional]] [[republic]]
| constitution                  = [[Constitution of Brazil]]
| legislature                   = [[National Congress of Brazil|National Congress]]
| legislature_type              = [[Bicameralism|Bicameral]]
| legislature_place             = [[National Congress Palace]]
| legislature_speaker           =
| legislature_speaker_title     =
| upperhouse                    = [[Brazilian Senate|Federal Senate]]
| upperhouse_speaker            = [[Rodrigo Pacheco (politician)|Rodrigo Pacheco]]
| upperhouse_speaker_title      = [[President of the Federal Senate (Brazil)|President of the Federal Senate]]
| upperhouse_appointer          =
| lowerhouse                    = [[Chamber of Deputies (Brazil)|Chamber of Deputies]]
| lowerhouse_speaker            = [[Arthur Lira]]
| lowerhouse_speaker_title      = [[President of the Chamber of Deputies (Brazil)|President of the Chamber of Deputies]]
| lowerhouse_appointer          =
| title_hos                     = 
| current_hos                   = 
| appointer_hos                 = 
| title_hog                     =
| current_hog                   =
| appointer_hog                 =
| title_hosag                   = [[President of Brazil|President]]
| current_hosag                 = [[Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva]]
| appointer_hosag               = [[Elections in Brazil|Direct popular vote]]
| cabinet                       = [[Cabinet of Brazil]]
| current_cabinet               = [[Second cabinet of Lula da Silva]]
| cabinet_leader                = President
| cabinet_deputyleader          = [[Vice President of Brazil|Vice President]]
| cabinet_appointer             = President
| cabinet_hq                    = [[Palácio do Planalto]]
| cabinet_ministries            = 37
| judiciary                     = [[Judiciary of Brazil]]
| judiciary_head                =
| courts                        = [[Federal courts of Brazil]]
| court                         = [[Supreme Federal Court]]
| chief_judge                   = [[Luís Roberto Barroso]]
| court_seat                    = 
| court1                        = [[Superior Court of Justice (Brazil)|Superior Court of Justice]]
| chief_judge1                  = Maria Thereza Moura
| court_seat1                   =
}}
{{Politics of Brazil}}
The '''politics of Brazil''' take place in a framework of a [[federation|federal]] [[presidential system|presidential]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]], whereby the [[President of Brazil|President]] is both [[head of state]] and [[head of government]], and of a [[multi-party system]]. The political and administrative organization of [[Brazil]] comprises the [[Federal government of Brazil|federal government]], the 26 [[States of Brazil|states]] and a [[Federal District (Brazil)|federal district]], and the [[Municipalities of Brazil|municipalities]].

The federal government exercises control over the [[central government]] and is divided into three independent branches: executive, legislative and judicial. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the President, advised by a [[Cabinet of Brazil|cabinet]]. [[Legislative power]] is vested upon the [[National Congress of Brazil|National Congress]], a two-chamber legislature comprising the [[Senate of Brazil|Federal Senate]] and the [[Chamber of Deputies of Brazil|Chamber of Deputies]]. [[Judicial power]] is exercised by the judiciary, consisting of the [[Supreme Federal Court]], the [[Superior Court of Justice (Brazil)|Superior Court of Justice]] and other [[Federal courts of Brazil|Superior Courts]], the [[National Justice Council]] and the [[Regional Federal Courts]].

The states are [[Autonomy|autonomous]] [[Administrative division|sub-national entities]] with their own governments that, together with the other federal units, form the Federative Republic of Brazil. Currently, Brazil is divided politically and administratively into 27 federal units, being 26 states and one federal district. The executive power is exercised by a [[governor]] elected to a four-year term. The judiciary is exercised by courts of first and second instance addressing the common justice. Each state has a unicameral [[legislature]] with deputies who vote on state laws. The Constitution of Brazil knows also two elements of [[direct democracy]], stated in Article 14.<ref name="DD-Navi">{{in lang|en}} Navigator to Direct Democracy [https://web.archive.org/web/20121120035432/http://direct-democracy-navigator.org/countries/brazil/legal_designs "Scientific overview of direct democracy procedures in Brazil"]</ref> The legislative assemblies supervise the activities of the Executive power of the states and municipalities.

The [[Municipalities of Brazil|municipalities]] are minor federal units of the Federative Republic of Brazil. Each municipality has an autonomous [[local government]], comprising a [[mayor]], directly elected by the people to a four-year term, and a [[Câmara Municipal|legislative body]], also directly elected by the people.

Brazil has an unrestricted multiparty system with a large number of political parties. Some parties lack ideological consistency and it is common for congressmen to switch parties, weakening electoral coalitions. At same time, the high number of political parties makes the Executive need to gather alliances of different political parties must piece together diverse and often ideologically incoherent coalitions to pass legislation (this is known as [[coalition presidentialism]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Brazil: Freedom in the World 2021 Country Report |url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/brazil/freedom-world/2021 |website=Freedom House |access-date=10 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Presidencialismo de coalizão: qual sua relação com a crise brasileira? |url=https://www.politize.com.br/presidencialismo-de-coalizao-e-atual-crise-brasileira/ |website=Politize! |access-date=10 August 2021 |language=pt-BR |date=10 May 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Couto |first1=Lucas |last2=Soares |first2=Andéliton |last3=Livramento |first3=Bernardo |title=Presidencialismo de coalizão: conceito e aplicação |journal=Revista Brasileira de Ciência Política |date=12 March 2021 |issue=34 |pages=e241841 |doi=10.1590/0103-3352.2021.34.241841 |url=https://www.scielo.br/j/rbcpol/a/fmVjS6nMXFZHFYBJ9jpwH9g/?lang=pt |access-date=10 August 2021 |language=pt-BR|doi-access=free }}</ref> The [[Economist Intelligence Unit]]'s [[Democracy Index]] rated Brazil as a "flawed democracy" in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=Democracy Index 2022: Frontline democracy and the battle for Ukraine |url=https://pages.eiu.com/rs/753-RIQ-438/images/DI-final-version-report.pdf |website=[[Economist Intelligence Unit]] |page=3 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Brazil was 2023 the 13th most electoral [[Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean|democratic country in Latin America and the Caribbean]] according to the [[V-Dem Democracy indices]].<ref name="vdem_dataset">{{cite web |last=V-Dem Institute |date=2023 |title=The V-Dem Dataset |url=https://www.v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/ |access-date=14 October 2023}}</ref>

==Constitution==
{{Main|Constitution of Brazil}}

[[File:Supremo Brasil.jpg|thumb|[[Supreme Federal Court]]]]

Brazil has had seven [[constitution]]s:

* [[Brazilian Constitution of 1824|Constitution of 1824]] – the first Brazilian constitution, enacted by [[Pedro I of Brazil|Emperor Pedro I]]. It was monarchic, hereditary, and highly centralized, permitting suffrage only to property-holders.
* [[Brazilian Constitution of 1891|Constitution of 1891]] – the republic was proclaimed in 1889, but a new constitution was not promulgated until 1891. This federalist, democratic constitution was heavily influenced by the U.S. model. However, women and illiterates were not permitted to vote.
* [[Brazilian Constitution of 1934|Constitution of 1934]] – when [[Getúlio Vargas]] came to power in 1930, he canceled the 1891 constitution and did not permit a new one until 1934. The [[Constitutionalist Revolution]] of 1932 forced Vargas to enact a new democratic constitution that permitted women's suffrage. Getúlio Vargas was indirectly elected president by the Constitutional Assembly to a four-year term, beginning in 1933.
* [[Brazilian Constitution of 1937|Constitution of 1937]] – Getúlio Vargas suppressed a Communist uprising in 1935 and two years later (November 10, 1937) used it as a pretext to establish autocratic rule. He instituted a corporatist constitution nicknamed ''the Polish,'' (because it was said to have been inspired by a Polish constitution), written by [[Francisco Campos (lawyer)|Francisco Campos]].
* [[History of the Constitution of Brazil|Constitution of 1946]] – in October, 1945, with World War II over, a civil-military coup ousted dictatorial Getúlio Vargas, an Assembly wrote a democratic constitution.
* [[History of the Constitution of Brazil|Constitution of 1967]] – after the 1964 coup d'État against [[João Goulart]], the military dictatorship passed the ''Institutional Acts'', a supraconstitutional law. This strongly undemocratic constitution simply incorporated these Acts.
* [[Constitution of Brazil|Constitution of 1988]] – the current constitution, drafted in the process of redemocratization. It is marked by a reaction to the military dictatorship, guaranteeing individual rights, it is also more expansive than a typical constitution – many statutory acts in other countries are written into this constitution, like Social Security and taxes.

==Political parties and elections==
{{Main|List of political parties in Brazil}}
[[File:Congresso brasileiro.jpg|thumb|right|[[National Congress of Brazil]], the national [[legislature]] and the only in [[bicameral]] format]]
[[File:Palacio do Planalto.JPG|thumb|right|[[Palácio do Planalto]], the seat of the [[executive power]]]]

According to sociologist Marcelo Ridenti, Brazilian politics is divided between internationalist [[liberalism|liberal]]s and [[Statism|statist]] nationalists.<ref name="Barr">{{in lang|pt}} Barros, Ana Cláudia. [http://terramagazine.terra.com.br/interna/0,,OI4683023-EI6578,00-PT+ainda+e+esquerda+no+Brasil+analisa+sociologo.html "PT ainda pode ser chamado de esquerda, afirma sociólogo"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610210222/http://terramagazine.terra.com.br/interna/0,,OI4683023-EI6578,00-PT+ainda+e+esquerda+no+Brasil+analisa+sociologo.html |date=2015-06-10 }}. Terra Magazine. September 17, 2010.</ref> The first group consists of politicians arguing that internationalization of the [[economy of Brazil|economy]] is essential for the development of the country, while the latter rely on [[interventionism (politics)|interventionism]], and protection of [[Government-owned corporation|state enterprise]]s.<ref name="Barr" /> According to Ridenti, who cites the [[Fernando Henrique Cardoso]] administration as an example of the first group and the [[Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva]] administration as an example of the second, "we have it cyclically".<ref name="Barr" />

Lula's [[Workers' Party (Brazil)|Workers' Party]] tended to the statist nationalist side, although there are [[privatization|privatizing]] forces within his party and government, while Cardoso's [[Brazilian Social Democratic Party|Social Democratic Party]] tended to favor the international private market side by taking [[neoliberalism|neoliberal]] policies as with the global [[Third Way (Brazil)|Third Way]].<ref name="Barr" /> Lula compares himself with [[Getúlio Vargas]], [[Juscelino Kubitschek]] and [[João Goulart]], presidents seen as statist nationalists.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://noticias.terra.com.br/eleicoes/2010/noticias/0,,OI4676356-EI15315,00-Lula+Os+Bornhausen+nao+podem+se+disfarcar+de+cordeiros.html |title=Lula diz que o DEM precisa ser extirpado da política brasileira - Terra Brasil<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2010-09-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917162534/http://noticias.terra.com.br/eleicoes/2010/noticias/0,,OI4676356-EI15315,00-Lula+Os+Bornhausen+nao+podem+se+disfarcar+de+cordeiros.html |archive-date=2010-09-17 |url-status=live }}</ref>

As of May 2017, 16,668,589 Brazilians were affiliated with a [[political party]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.tse.jus.br/eleitor/estatisticas-de-eleitorado/filiados|title=Estatísticas do eleitorado – Eleitores filiados|website=Tribunal Superior Eleitoral|access-date=27 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709134245/http://www.tse.jus.br/eleitor/estatisticas-de-eleitorado/filiados|archive-date=9 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The largest parties are [[Brazilian Democratic Movement|MDB]] (which accounts for 14.4% of affiliated voters), the [[Workers' Party (Brazil)|PT]] (9.5% of affiliated voters), and [[Brazilian Social Democracy Party|PSDB]] (8.7% of affiliated voters).<ref name=":0" />

In 2020, the scenario is that the country has more than 30 active political parties, and only one of them defines itself as a right-wing party ([[Liberal Party (Brazil, 2006)|PL]]), with a clear political imbalance. The country has several far-left parties like [[Socialism and Liberty Party|PSOL]], [[Workers' Cause Party|PCO]], [[United Socialist Workers' Party|PSTU]], [[Brazilian Communist Party|PCB]], [[Popular Unity (Brazil)|UP]], [[Communist Party of Brazil|PCdoB]], left parties like [[Workers' Party (Brazil)|PT]], [[Brazilian Socialist Party|PSB]], [[Democratic Labour Party (Brazil)|PDT]], [[Green Party (Brazil)|PV]], [[Sustainability Network|Rede]] and [[Solidariedade]] and center-left like [[Brazilian Social Democracy Party|PSDB]], [[Party of National Mobilization|PMN]] and [[Cidadania]]. Ten parties declare themselves as the center: [[Brazilian Democratic Movement|MDB]], [[Social Democratic Party (Brazil, 2011)|PSD]], [[Act (Brazil)|Agir]], [[Christian Democracy (Brazil)|DC]], [[Republican Party of the Social Order|PROS]], [[Avante (political party)|Avante]], [[Patriota]], [[Podemos (Brazil)|Podemos]] and [[Brazilian Woman's Party|PMB]]. Five parties declare themselves as center-right: [[Brazil Union]], [[Brazilian Labour Party (current)|PTB]], [[Progressistas]], [[Social Christian Party (Brazil)|PSC]], [[Brazilian Labour Renewal Party|PRTB]] and [[Republicans (Brazil)|Republicanos]]. The only party that claims to be purely liberal, without further consideration, is [[New Party (Brazil)|Novo]]. When asked about their ideological spectrum, Brazilian parties tend to give obtuse and non-conclusive answers on the subject.<ref>[https://www.gazetadopovo.com.br/republica/apenas-um-partido-se-define-como-de-direita-no-brasil-esquerda-tem-sete/ Apenas um partido se define como de direita no Brasil]</ref>

==Government==
{{split section|Government in Brazil|date=April 2022}}

===Federal government===
{{Main|Federal government of Brazil}}

[[Image:Chamber of Deputies of Brazil 2.jpg|thumb|left|[[Chamber of Deputies of Brazil|Chamber of Deputies]], the [[lower house]]]]
[[Image:Plenary chamber of the Brazilian Senate - 2007-08-30 -2030JC012.jpg|thumb|[[Federal Senate of Brazil|Federal Senate]], the [[upper house]]]]

Brazil is a [[Federalism|federal]] [[Presidential system|presidential]] constitutional republic, based on [[representative democracy]]. The federal government has three independent [[Separation of powers|branches]]: executive, legislative, and judicial. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the executive branch, headed by the [[President of Brazil|President]], advised by a [[Cabinet of Brazil|Cabinet]]. The President is both the [[head of state]] and the [[head of government]]. [[Legislative power]] is vested upon the [[National Congress of Brazil|National Congress]], a two-chamber legislature comprising the [[Senate of Brazil|Federal Senate]] and the [[Chamber of Deputies of Brazil|Chamber of Deputies]]. [[Judicial power]] is exercised by the judiciary, consisting of the [[Supreme Federal Court]], the [[Superior Court of Justice (Brazil)|Superior Court of Justice]] and other [[Federal courts of Brazil|Superior Courts]], the [[National Justice Council]] and the [[Regional Federal Courts]].

===States===
{{Main|States of Brazil}}

[[Image:Rio-PalacioTiradentes.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro]] holds the legislature of [[Rio de Janeiro]] state.]]
[[Image:Cidade Administrativa MG 1.jpg|thumb|[[Palácio Tiradentes]] holds the executive power of [[Minas Gerais]] state.]]

The 26 Brazilian ''states'' are semi-autonomous self-governing entities organized with complete administration branches, relative financial independence and their own set of symbols, similar to those owned by the country itself. Despite their relative autonomy they all have the same model of administration, as set by the Federal Constitution.

States hold elections every four years and exercise a considerable amount of power. The 1988 constitution allows states to keep their own taxes, set up [[State Senator (Brazil)|State Houses]], and mandates regular allocation of a share of the taxes collected locally by the federal government.

The Executive role is held by the {{lang|pt|Governador}} (Governor) and his appointed {{lang|pt|Secretários}} (Secretaries); the Legislative role is held by the {{lang|pt|Assembléia Legislativa}} (Legislative Assembly); and the Judiciary role, by the {{lang|pt|Tribunal de Justiça}} (Justice Tribunal). The governors and the members of the assemblies are elected, but the members of the Judiciary are appointed by the governor from a list provided by the current members of the State Law Court containing only judges (these are chosen by merit in exams open to anyone with a law degree). The name chosen by the governor must be approved by the Assembly before inauguration. The 1988 Constitution has granted the states the greatest amount of autonomy since the Old Republic.

Each of the 26 state governors must achieve more than 50% of the vote, including a second round run-off between the top two candidates if necessary. In contrast to the federal level, state legislatures are unicameral, although the deputies are elected through similar means, involving an open-list system in which the state serves as one constituency. State level elections occur at the same time as those for the presidency and Congress. In 2002, candidates from eight different parties won the gubernatorial contest while 28 parties are represented in the country's state legislatures. The last set of elections took place in 2006.

===Municipalities===
{{Main|Municipalities of Brazil}}

[[Image:Vista do Palácio Anchieta.JPG|thumb|left|The [[Municipal Chamber of São Paulo]], the municipal legislature of [[São Paulo]] city]]
[[Image:Palácio do Anhangabaú (Ed. Matarazzo) 01.JPG|thumb|[[Palácio do Anhangabaú]] holds the municipal executive power of [[São Paulo]].]]

Brazil has no clear distinction between ''towns'' and ''cities'' (in effect, the Portuguese word ''cidade'' means both). The only possible difference is regarding the municipalities that have a court of first instance and those that do not. The former are called ''Sedes de Comarca'' (seats of a ''comarca'', which is the territory under the rule of that court). Other than that, only size and importance differs one from another.

The municipality (''município'') is a territory comprising one urban area, the ''sede'' (seat), from which it takes the name, and several other minor urban or rural areas, the ''distritos'' (districts). The seat of a municipality must be the most populous urban area within it; when another urban area grows too much it usually splits from the original municipality to form another one.

A municipality is relatively autonomous: it enacts its own "constitution", which is called ''organic law'' (''Lei Orgânica''), and it is allowed to collect taxes and fees, to maintain a municipal police force (albeit with very restricted powers), to pass laws on any matter that do not contradict either the state or the national constitutions, and to create symbols for itself (like a flag, an anthem and a coat-of-arms). However, not all municipalities exercise all of this autonomy. For instance, only a few municipalities keep local police forces, some of them do not collect some taxes (to attract investors or residents) and many of them do not have a flag (although they are all required to have a coat-of-arms).

Municipalities are governed by an elected ''prefeito'' ([[Mayor]]) and a unicameral ''Câmara de Vereadores'' (Councillors' Chamber). In municipalities with more than 200,000 voters, the Mayor must be elected by more than 50% of the valid vote. The executive power is called ''Prefeitura''.

Brazilian municipalities can vary widely in area and population. The municipality of [[Altamira, Brazil|Altamira]], in the State of [[Pará]], with 161,445.9 square kilometres of area, is larger than many countries in the world. Several Brazilian municipalities have over 1,000,000 inhabitants, with São Paulo, at more than 9,000,000, being the most populous.

Until 1974 Brazil had one state-level municipality, the [[State of Guanabara]], now merged with [[Rio de Janeiro (state)|the State of Rio de Janeiro]], which comprised [[Rio de Janeiro (city)|the city of Rio de Janeiro]] solely.

===Federal District===
{{Main|Federal District (Brazil)}}

[[File:Câmara Legislativa do Distrito Federal 2012.jpg|thumb|[[Legislative Chamber of the Federal District]]]]

The Federal District is an anomalous unit of the federation, as it is not organized in the same manner as a municipality, does not possess the same autonomy as a state (though usually ranked among them), and is closely related to the central power.

It is considered a single and indivisible entity, constituted by the seat, [[Brasília]] and some [[Satellite town|of the satellite cities]]. Brasília and the satellite cities are governed by the [[Regional Administrator]]s individually and as a whole are governed by the Governor of the Federal District.

==History==
Throughout its modern history, Brazil has struggled to build a [[democracy|democratic]] and egalitarian society because of its origins as a [[plantation]] colony and the strong influence of slavery.
<!--Don't enlarge it too much... Leave details to the history series -->

===Empire===
{{Main|Empire of Brazil}}
In 1822 the [[Pedro I of Brazil|Prince Pedro de Alcântara]], son of King [[John VI of Portugal]], proclaimed independence. He was the first Emperor (Pedro I) until his abdication in 1831 in favor of his elder [[Pedro II of Brazil|son]]. Due to the son's age (five years) a regency was established and the country had its first elections, though [[Censitary suffrage|voting]] was restricted to a minority of the population.

=== Old Republic (1889–1930) ===
{{Main|First Brazilian Republic}}
In 1889, Marshal [[Deodoro da Fonseca]] declared the republic, by a [[coup d'état]].

When the republic succeeded the empire, [[Auguste Comte]]'s motto "Order and Progress" appeared on the flag of the Republic and the 1891 Constitution was inspired by Auguste Comte's ''Course of Positive Philosophy'' and System of Positive Politics. The Republic's beginnings were marked by "coronelism", an equivalent of the caudillism of the Spanish-speaking countries. The "old republic" (1889–1930) is also known as the "oligarchic republic".<ref>Latin America in the 20th century: 1889-1929, 1991, p. 314-319</ref>

Until 1930, the Brazilian republic was formally a democracy, although the power was concentrated in the hands of powerful land owners.

=== Vargas years (1930–1945) ===
{{Main|Vargas Era}}
In 1930, a bloodless [[coup d'état|coup]] led [[Getúlio Vargas]] to power. For about 15 years, he controlled the country's politics, with a brief three-year constitutional interregnum from 1934 to 1937. A longer, heavier regime, the ''[[Estado Novo (Brazil)|Estado Novo]]'' had loose ties with European [[fascism]] and spanned the years 1938 to 1945.

=== Populist years (1946–1964) ===
{{Main|Second Brazilian Republic}}
Like most of Latin America, Brazil experienced times of political instability after the Second World War. When Vargas was ousted from the presidency in another bloodless coup d'état, in 1945, a new and modern constitution was passed and the country had its first experience with an effective and widespread democracy. But the mounting tension between populist politicians (like Vargas himself and, later, [[Jânio Quadros]]) and the right led to a crisis that ultimately brought up the [[1964 Brazilian coup d'état|military coup d'état in 1964]], now known, through declassified documents, to have been supported by the American [[Central Intelligence Agency]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Brazil Marks 40th Anniversary of Military Coup|url=http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB118/index.htm|access-date=2013-05-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120135243/http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB118/index.htm|archive-date=2008-11-20|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Military dictatorship (1964–1985)===
{{Main|Brazilian military government}}
In 1964 a military-led coup d'état deposed the democratically elected president of Brazil, [[João Goulart]]. Between 1964 and 1985, Brazil was governed by the military, with a [[two-party system]] that comprised a pro-government [[National Renewal Alliance Party]] (ARENA) and an opposition [[Brazilian Democratic Movement]] (MDB). Thousands of politicians (including former president [[Juscelino Kubitschek]]) had their political rights suspended, and military-sanctioned indirect elections were held for most elected positions until political liberalization during the government of [[João Figueiredo]].

===New Republic (1985–1990)===
{{Main|José Sarney|History of Brazil (1985–present)}}
In 1985, the military were defeated in an election according to the scheme they had set up as a consequence of the loss of political support among the elites. The opposition candidate, [[Tancredo Neves]], was elected president, but died of natural causes before he was able to take office. Fearing a political vacuum that might stifle the democratic effort, Neves' supporters urged vice-president, [[José Sarney]] to take the oath and govern the country. Tancredo Neves had said that his election and the demise of military régime would create a "New Republic" and Sarney's term of government is often referred to by this name.

Sarney's government was disastrous in almost every field. The ongoing [[recession]] and the soaring [[external debt]] drained the country's assets while ravaging [[inflation]] (which later turned into [[hyperinflation]]) demonetized the currency and prevented any stability. In an attempt to revolutionize the economy and defeat inflation, Sarney carried on an ambitious "heterodox" economic plan ([[Cruzado]]) in 1986, which included price controls, default on the external debts and reduction of salaries. The plan seemed successful for some months, but it soon caused wholesale shortages of consumer goods (especially of easily exportable goods like meat, milk, automobiles, grains, sugar and alcohol) and the appearance of a black market in which such goods were sold for higher prices. Buoyed by the ensuing popularity from the apparent success of the plan, Sarney secured the largest electoral win in Brazilian history; the party he had just joined, [[Brazilian Democratic Movement|Brazilian Democratic Movement Party]] (PMDB), won in 26 out of 27 states and in more than 3,000 municipalities. Just after the elections, Sarney's "corrections" to the economy failed to control inflation and the public perception that he had used an artificial control of inflation to win the elections proved to be his undoing. His popularity never recovered and he was plagued by vehement criticism from most sectors of society until the end of his term. Despite popular rejection, Sarney managed to extend his term from four to five years, and exerted pressure on the Constitutional Assembly that was drafting the new constitution to abort the adoption of [[Parliamentarism]].

===Collor government (1990–1992)===
{{Main|Presidency of Collor de Mello}}

In 1989 Fernando Collor de Mello was elected president for the term from 1990 to 1994. The elections were marked by unanimous condemnation of [[José Sarney]], with all candidates trying to keep distance from him.

Collor made some very bold statements, like saying that the Brazilian industry (of which the Brazilians used to be very proud) was mostly obsolete and polluting or that defaulting the debt was equal to not paying the rent. He also took quite revolutionary measures, like reducing the number of ministries to only 12 and naming [[Zélia Cardoso de Mello]] Minister of Economy or removing existing barriers to importing of goods.

His inflation control plan was based on an attempt to control prices and a complicated currency conversion process that prevented people from cashing their bank accounts for 18 months.

All of this made him quite unpopular and denied him support in the parliament that he needed since his own party held few seats. At the beginning of his third year in office, he resigned as a result of in a huge corruption scandal. The charges against him would later be dropped, some on mere technicalities, some for actually being irrelevant or false.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2006-10-01|title=Fernando Collor é eleito senador por Alagoas|url=https://oglobo.globo.com/politica/eleicoes-2006/fernando-collor-eleito-senador-por-alagoas-5011019|access-date=2021-12-31|website=O Globo|language=pt-BR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-11-19|title=Senadores na Mídia - Principais Jornais|url=http://www.senado.gov.br/sf/noticia/senamidia/principaisJornais/verNoticia1.asp?ud=20060418&datNoticia=20060418&codNoticia=183629&nomeOrgao=&nomeJornal=O+Globo&codOrgao=2729|access-date=2021-12-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071119014848/http://www.senado.gov.br/sf/noticia/senamidia/principaisJornais/verNoticia1.asp?ud=20060418&datNoticia=20060418&codNoticia=183629&nomeOrgao=&nomeJornal=O+Globo&codOrgao=2729|archive-date=2007-11-19}}</ref>

Collor desperately tried to resist [[Impeachment of Fernando Collor|impeachment]] by rallying the support of the youth and of the lower classes, but his call for help was answered by massive popular demonstrations, led mostly by students, demanding his resignation.

===Itamar government (1992–1994)===
{{Main|Itamar Franco}}
In 1992, the vice-president, Itamar Franco, took office as president and managed to evade the most feared consequences of Collor's downfall. He had to face a country with hyper-inflation, high levels of misery and unemployment. Far-left organizations were trying to turn the anti-Collor campaign into a wider revolutionary fight to overthrow the regime. Itamar finally granted full powers to his Minister of Economy, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, so the minister could launch the [[Plano Real]], a new economic plan that seemed to be just the same as the many unsuccessful plans launched by Sarney, Collor and their military predecessor. But the Real was a success because of [[Rubens Ricupero]] and essentially because of [[Ciro Gomes]], according to Itamar Franco himself, and terminated inflation in a few months.

===FHC government (1995–2003)===
{{Main|Presidency of Fernando Henrique Cardoso}}

In 1994, Cardoso with Ricupero, [[Ciro Gomes]] and others launched their [[Plano Real]], a successful economic reform that managed to permanently rid the country of the excessive inflation that had plagued it for more than forty years. The plan consisted of replacing the discredited old currency ([[Brazilian cruzeiro (1990–1993)|cruzeiro]] and [[Brazilian cruzeiro real|cruzeiro real]]) and pegging its value temporarily to the United States dollar. Inflation – which had become a fact of Brazilian life – was cut dramatically, a change that the Brazilians took years to get used to. Because of the success of Plano Real, Cardoso was chosen by his party to run for president and, with the strong support of Franco, eventually won, beating [[Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva]], who had emerged as the favorite only one year earlier.

Cardoso's term was marked by other major changes in Brazilian politics and economy. Public services and state-owned companies were [[privatization|privatized]] (some for values supposedly too cheap according to his adversaries), the strong [[Brazilian real|real]] made it easy to import goods, forcing Brazilian industry to modernize and compete (which had the side effect of causing many of them to be bought by foreign companies). During his first term, a constitutional amendment was passed to enable a sitting Executive chief to run for re-election, after which he again beat Lula in 1998.

===Lula government (2003–2011)===
{{Main|Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva}}
[[Image:Brazilian cabinet meeting.jpg|thumb|right|Meeting of the Cabinet of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the Oval Room, Palácio do Planalto, 2007]]
[[File:1988- Deforestation rates in Brazil - Terra Brasilis.svg|thumb|The deforestation rate in Brazil declined significantly during Lula's first time in office, a decline that reversed in the time of Bolsonaro.<ref name=Axios_20221031>{{cite web |last1=Freedman |first1=Andrew |title=Bolsonaro's defeat is a climate turning point |url=https://www.axios.com/2022/10/31/brazil-lula-bolsonaro-climate-election |website=Axios |date=31 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031134834/https://www.axios.com/2022/10/31/brazil-lula-bolsonaro-climate-election |archive-date=31 October 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=TerraBrasilis_1988>{{cite web |title= Taxas de desmatamento (Deforestation rates) |url=http://terrabrasilis.dpi.inpe.br/app/dashboard/deforestation/biomes/legal_amazon/rates |website=TerraBrasilis |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241211053835/https://terrabrasilis.dpi.inpe.br/app/dashboard/deforestation/biomes/legal_amazon/rates |archive-date=11 December 2024 |date=2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>]]
In 2002, at his fourth attempt, Lula was elected president. In part his victory was derived from the significant unpopularity of Cardoso's second term, which failed to address economic inequality, and to an extent from a softening of his and the party's radical stance, including a vice-presidential candidate from the [[Liberal Party (Brazil, 1985)|Liberal Party]], acceptance of an [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF) agreement from the previous government administration, and a line of discourse friendly to the financial markets.

Despite some achievements in solving part of the country's biggest problems, his term was plagued by multiple corruption scandals that rocked his cabinet, forcing some members to resign their posts.

In 2006 Lula regained part of his popularity and ran for re-election. After almost winning on the first round, he won the run-off against [[Geraldo Alckmin]] from the [[Brazilian Social Democracy Party]] (PSDB), by a margin of 20 million votes.

In 2010, Lula's handpicked successor, [[Dilma Rousseff]], was elected to the Presidency.

=== Rousseff government (2011–2016) ===
{{Main|Presidency of Dilma Rousseff}}

In 2011, Rousseff became the first woman to be elected president of Brazil.

In 2015 and 2016, many demonstrations were held against Rousseff demanding for her to be impeached because of corruption scandals.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-31899507|title=Big rallies against Brazil president|date=2015-03-16|access-date=2019-03-16|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116235706/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-31899507|archive-date=2017-11-16|url-status=live}}</ref> According to studies by the [[Brazilian Institute of Public Opinion and Statistics]] (Ibope), 70-80% of demonstrators questioned supported harsher sentences for criminal offences, and a reduction of the age of criminal responsibility to 16. Between 2010 and 2016, support for the death penalty increased from 31% to 49%, and the number of people declaring themselves conservative from 49% to 59%.

The decline in poverty and the development of the middle class during the Lula years also allowed right-wing parties to address broader segments of the electorate on economic issues. "The new lower middle class dream of being entrepreneurs and consumers" according to the Perseu Abramo Foundation. "They are very sensitive to the meritocracy rhetoric of the right and the evangelical churches, and less affected by the PT message, which is still aimed at the poor".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://mondediplo.com/2017/12/07brazil-right |title=Brazil's right challenges the Workers' Party, by Anne Vigna (Le Monde diplomatique - English edition, December 2017) |access-date=2019-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130232840/https://mondediplo.com/2017/12/07brazil-right |archive-date=2017-11-30 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Michel Temer government (2016–2018) ===
{{Main|Presidency of Michel Temer}}

=== Jair Bolsonaro government (2019–2022) ===
{{Main|Presidency of Jair Bolsonaro}}

=== Second Lula government (2023–present) ===
{{Main|Second presidency of Lula da Silva}}
The second presidency of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva started on 1 January 2023, when he was inaugurated as the 39th [[President of Brazil]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/jair-bolsonaro-politics-brazil-brasilia-inaugurations-c6d222207d7a5bcbb71e2b6950514a9a|title=Lula sworn in as president to lead polarized Brazil|first1=Mauricio|last1=Savavrese|first2=Carla|last2=Bridi|publisher=Associated Press|date=1 January 2022|accessdate=1 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/30/world/americas/lula-election-results-brazil-bolsonaro.html|title=Brazil Ejects Bolsonaro and Brings Back Former Leader Lula|website=The New York Times|first=Jack|last=Nicas|date=30 October 2022|accessdate=31 October 2022|url-access=subscription}}</ref> he was elected for a third term as [[President of Brazil]] on 30 October 2022, by obtaining 50.9% of the valid votes in the [[2022 Brazilian general election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/30/americas/brazil-election-polls-open-intl/index.html|title=Brazil's Bolsonaro loses bid for second term in fiercely contested presidential vote|website=CNN|date=31 October 2022|accessdate=31 October 2022}}</ref>

==== 2023 Brazilian Congress attack ====
{{main|2023 Brazilian Congress attack}}

== Political corruption ==
{{Main|Corruption in Brazil}}
=== Operação Lava Jato (Operation Car Wash) ===
{{Main|Operation Car Wash}}
This was a set of investigations carried out by the [[Federal Police of Brazil]], aimed at investigating a money laundering scheme that involved billions of reals in bribes. It resulted in more than a thousand search and seizure warrants, temporary arrests, preventive detentions and bench warrants. The operation started on March 17, 2014, and had 71 operational phases authorized, among others, by the then judge Sérgio Moro, during which more than one hundred people were arrested and convicted. It investigated crimes of active and passive corruption, fraudulent management, money laundering, criminal organization, obstruction of justice, fraudulent exchange operation and receipt of undue advantage. According to investigations and awarded claims, administrative members of the state-owned oil company Petrobras, politicians from the largest parties in Brazil, including presidents of the Republic, presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, and state governors, as well as businessmen from large Brazilian companies, were involved. The Federal Police considers it the largest corruption investigation in the country's history.

==Political conflicts==
Brazil is one of the most dangerous countries for militant farmworkers, with sixty-five murders of farmworkers engaged in conflicts over the right to land in 2017 alone. Between 1985 and 2017, 1,722 activists of the [[Landless Workers' Movement]] were murdered.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bastamag.net/Le-Bresil-risque-de-subir-l-une-des-plus-grandes-regressions-ecologiques-et |title=Le Brésil risque de subir l'une des plus grandes régressions écologiques et sociales de son histoire - Basta ! |date=29 June 2017 |access-date=2019-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730210840/https://www.bastamag.net/Le-Bresil-risque-de-subir-l-une-des-plus-grandes-regressions-ecologiques-et |archive-date=2017-07-30 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2016, at least 49 people were murdered in Brazil defending the environment against companies or landowners.<ref>{{Cite web|last=AFP|date=2017-07-13|title=Au moins 200 personnes tuées en 2016 pour avoir voulu protéger l'environnement|url=https://www.geo.fr/environnement/au-moins-200-personnes-tuees-en-2016-pour-avoir-voulu-proteger-l-environnement-176677|access-date=2021-12-31|website=Geo.fr|language=fr}}</ref>

==International organization participation==
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[African Development Bank]]
*[[Customs Cooperation Council]]
*[[United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean]]
*[[Food and Agriculture Organization]]
*[[Group of 11]]
*[[Group of 15]]
*[[Group of 19]]
*[[Group of 24]]
*[[Group of 77]]
*[[Inter-American Development Bank]]
*[[International Atomic Energy Agency]]
*International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ([[World Bank]])
*[[International Civil Aviation Organization]]
*[[International Chamber of Commerce]]
*[[International Criminal Court]]
*[[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement]]
*[[International Development Association]]
*[[International Fund for Agricultural Development]]
*[[International Finance Corporation]]
*[[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies]]
*[[International Hydrographic Organization]]
*[[International Labour Organization]]
*[[International Monetary Fund]]
*[[International Maritime Organization]]
*[[Inmarsat]]
*[[International Telecommunications Satellite Organization]]
*[[Interpol (organization)|Interpol]]
*[[International Olympic Committee]]
*[[International Organization for Migration]] (observer)
*[[International Organization for Standardization]]
*[[International Telecommunication Union]]
*[[International Trade Union Confederation]]
*[[Latin American Economic System]]
*[[Asociación Latinoamericana de Integración]]
*[[Mercosur]], [[Non-Aligned Movement]] (observer)
*[[Nuclear Suppliers Group]]
*[[Organization of American States]]
*[[Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean]]
*[[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]]
*[[Permanent Court of Arbitration]]
*[[Rio Group]]
*[[United Nations]]
*[[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development]]
*[[UNESCO|United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization]]
*[[Union of South American Nations]]
*[[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]]
*[[United Nations Industrial Development Organization]]
*[[United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka]]
*[[United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor]]
*[[United Nations University]]
*[[Universal Postal Union]]
*[[World Federation of Trade Unions]]
*[[World Health Organization]]
*[[World Intellectual Property Organization]]
*[[World Meteorological Organization]]
*[[World Tourism Organization]]
*[[World Trade Organization]]
{{Div col end}}

==See also==
* [[Censorship in Brazil]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://archive.today/20130414194957/http://report.globalintegrity.org/brazil Global Integrity Report: Brazil] Reports on anti-corruption efforts.
* [http://observingbrazil.com] Reports on political culture and political news, with a focus on transparency and good government.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100308062529/http://brazilinfocus.com/] Essays on Brazilian politics and policies by leading intellectuals and public figures.
* [http://geostadia.com] Reports on the politics and issues surrounding Brazilian soccer and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

==Further reading==
* Goertzel, Ted and Paulo Roberto Almeida, ''[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NZBPX8A The Drama of Brazilian Politics from Dom João to Marina Silva]'' Amazon Digital Services. {{ISBN|978-1-4951-2981-0}}.

{{Brazil topics}}
{{Americas topic|Politics of}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Politics Of Brazil}}
[[Category:Politics of Brazil| ]]