Minidocs
August 29, 2024

The Brazilian political system and the quality of democracy

    The 5th season of the minidoc series Vale a Pena Perguntar is now on air! The new edition focuses on the Brazilian political system and its current challenges.  

    How has the relationship between the branches of government changed in recent years? How does the concentration of power in the Speaker’s office affect the political system? Are parliamentary amendments legitimate? Does the financing of parties and electoral campaigns affect representativeness? 

    Six experts (below) share their ideas on how the functioning of the political system affects the quality of Brazilian democracy.

    The video series has optional subtitles in Portuguese, English and Spanish that can be activated in the settings.

    This series is divided into four episodes:

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    Episódio

    The Brazilian Political System

    Looks at how Brazil’s presidential system works. It explains the tools of governance available to the president. It examines the changes that have taken place in the relationship between the branches of government over the last decade.

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    Provisional measures and parliamentary amendments

    Analyses the impact of recent political reforms on the use of the public budget and examines the consequences of these changes for the quality of public policies. It discusses the legitimacy of parliamentary amendments and ways to improve their use for greater transparency and effectiveness.

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    Inside Congress

    Looks at the functioning of the Brazilian Congress, the fragmentation of Brazilian parties and recent electoral reforms. It discusses the impact of the concentration of power in the Speakers of the Houses.

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    Congress and Representativeness

    Discusses the popular representativeness of the National Congress and how it is affected by the funding of parties and electoral campaigns. Explains how quotas for social minorities work in the legislature.

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    The role of the Judiciary in Brazil

    Cláudio Couto explains the role of the Judiciary in the Brazilian political system and analyses recent tensions between the Executive and the Judiciary.

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    Party decisions and representativeness

    Luiz Augusto Campos analyses the complex electoral calculations that parties and party leaders have to make every electoral cycle, and the obstacles this system poses to creating a Congress that is more representative of the Brazilian population.

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    Parties and polarization

    Beatriz Rey talks about the importance of the role of parties in mediating between social groups and the political system, training cadres in party socialization processes so that elected politicians arrive in Congress with softer positions, less prone to radicalism.