As Barry Ames explains, the Brazilian political and electoral system has, in appearance, all the characteristics to promote a great legislative process and a transparent collaboration with the executive. Nevertheless, the whole legislative power presents strong weaknesses that are difficult to get round or reform and politicians with specific goals are aware of its functioning. This context permitted Lula’s re-election in 2006 despite of PT’s corruption scandals and the lack of core reforms.
As a matter of fact, the Congress’s election of deputies is done on open-list proportional representation basis where the numbers of seats are unequally divided between states that are over or underrepresented comparing to the population. As a result, the most dominant deputies are elected in less developed areas, mostly in the Nordeste, where their party have sent them or where they have economic interests. In those states, the domination of agrarian bosses is still anchored in local cultures and their support are unavoidable to win election whose expenditures mostly goes on bribes and backing of this community once elected : some deputies considered their activities in the congress as an extension of their economic interests and states unit is impossible.
Moreover the rates of turnover, as well as the number of deputies changing parties with impunity is incredibly high : politicians careers are more based on individual opportunities than on parties’ programs or ideology which does not allow long term strategy but is a factor of low experienced members of the Congress. In this democratic system full of contradictions, politicians does not consider parties as a core basis of positions but only a mean and even prefer weak party with less discipline. Furthermore re-election is not a priority but a step to another business career.
Lula’s was quite aware of those practices when