Brazil has a multi-party system since 1979, when the country's military dictatorship disbanded an enforced two-party system and allowed the creation of multiple parties. All candidates for federal, state, Federal District, and municipal offices must be nominated by a political party. Independent politicians are not allowed to run for office in Brazil.
The Brazilian National Congress has been since characterized by political fragmentation, reaching the apex of 35 in 2018, 30 of which were represented in congress after the 2018 general election, with an effective number of parties of 16.5. An electoral threshold introduced in 2017, which restricted access to party subsidies and free party political broadcasts, combined with the end of coalitions in proportional elections, has caused this number to decrease since. Since 2021, parties are allowed to unite for a minimum of four years, sharing a common statute and leadership, under party federations.
Since the 2022 general election, the Liberal Party (PL), the Workers' Party (PT), the Brazil Union (UNIÃO), the Progressives (PP), the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) and the Republicans together control over 80% of the Brazilian Congress, along with over 70% of the mayors in municipalities.
Brazilian parties have access to party subsidies in the form of Fundo Partidário (lit. 'Party Fund') and Fundo Eleitoral (lit. 'Electoral Fund'), and a system of free party political broadcasts during election time known as the horário eleitoral gratuito.
Since 1982, Brazilian political parties have been given an electoral number to make it easier for illiterate people to vote. Initially, it was a one-digit number: 1 for PDS, 2 for PDT, 3 for PT, 4 for PTB, and 5 for PMDB. When it became clear that there was going to be more than nine parties, two-digit numbers were assigned, with the first five parties having a "1" added to their former one-digit number (PDS becoming number 11, PDT 12, PT 13, PTB 14, and PMDB 15).[citation needed] Political parties often change their names, but they can retain their number.
Active parties
Parties with representation in the National Congress
| Logo | Party | Ideology | Political position | Leader(s) | Chamber | Senate | Assemblies | Governors | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Party Partido Liberal | PL | Right-wing populism Bolsonarism | Right-wing to far-right | Valdemar Costa Neto | 86 / 513 | 14 / 81 | 128 / 1,059 | 2 / 27 | ||
| Workers' Party Partido dos Trabalhadores | PT | Social democracy Lulism | Centre-left to left-wing | Edinho Silva | 67 / 513 | 9 / 81 | 118 / 1,059 | 4 / 27 | ||
| Brazil Union União Brasil | UNIÃO | Liberal conservatism Economic liberalism | Centre-right | Antônio de Rueda | 59 / 513 | 7 / 81 | 98 / 1,059 | 4 / 27 | ||
| Progressives Progressistas | PP | Big tent Liberal conservatism | Centre-right | Ciro Nogueira | 50 / 513 | 7 / 81 | 86 / 1,059 | 2 / 27 | ||
| Republicans Republicanos | Repub. | Conservatism Christian right | Right-wing | Marcos Pereira | 46 / 513 | 4 / 81 | 76 / 1,059 | 2 / 27 | ||
| Social Democratic Party Partido Social Democrático | PSD | Big tent Economic liberalism | Centre to centre-right | Gilberto Kassab | 46 / 513 | 13 / 81 | 79 / 1,059 | 4 / 27 | ||
| Brazilian Democratic Movement Movimento Democrático Brasileiro | MDB | Big tent Economic liberalism | Centre to centre-right | Baleia Rossi | 42 / 513 | 12 / 81 | 94 / 1,059 | 3 / 27 | ||
| We Can Podemos | PODE | Liberal conservatism | Centre-right | Renata Abreu | 17 / 513 | 4 / 81 | 48 / 1,059 | 0 / 27 | ||
| Democratic Labour Party Partido Democrático Trabalhista | PDT | Labourism Left-wing nationalism | Centre-left to left-wing | Carlos Lupi | 16 / 513 | 3 / 81 | 44 / 1,059 | 0 / 27 | ||
| Brazilian Socialist Party Partido Socialista Brasileiro | PSB | Social democracy Progressivism | Centre-left | João Henrique Campos | 16 / 513 | 4 / 81 | 54 / 1,059 | 3 / 27 | ||
| Brazilian Social Democracy Party Partido da Social Democracia Brasileira | PSDB | Liberalism | Centre | Marconi Perillo | 13 / 513 | 3 / 81 | 55 / 1,059 | 1 / 27 | ||
| Socialism and Liberty Party Partido Socialismo e Liberdade | PSOL | Democratic socialism Anti-capitalism Progressivism | Left-wing | Paula Coradi | 12 / 513 | 0 / 81 | 22 / 1,059 | 0 / 27 | ||
| Communist Party of Brazil Partido Comunista do Brasil | PCdoB | Communism Marxism-Leninism | Left-wing | Luciana Santos | 9 / 513 | 0 / 81 | 18 / 1,059 | 0 / 27 | ||
| Forward Avante | Avante | Labourism Christian solidarism Big tent | Right-wing | Luis Tibé | 8 / 513 | 0 / 81 | 14 / 1,059 | 0 / 27 | ||
| New Party Partido Novo | NOVO | Conservative liberalism Right-libertarianism | Right-wing | Eduardo Ribeiro | 5 / 513 | 1 / 81 | 5 / 1,059 | 1 / 27 | ||
| Solidarity Solidariedade | Solid. | Social democracy Third Way Big tent | Centre | Paulinho da Força | 5 / 513 | 0 / 81 | 29 / 1,059 | 1 / 27 | ||
| Democratic Renewal Party Partido Renovação Democrática | PRD | Big tent National conservatism | Centre-right to right-wing | Marcus Vinícius Neskau | 5 / 513 | 0 / 81 | 25 / 1,059 | 0 / 27 | ||
| Green Party Partido Verde | PV | Green politics Green liberalism | Centre-left | José Luiz Penna | 4 / 513 | 0 / 81 | 20 / 1,059 | 0 / 27 | ||
| Citizenship Cidadania | Cidad. | Liberalism Progressivism | Centre | Comte Bittencourt | 4 / 513 | 0 / 81 | 19 / 1,059 | 0 / 27 | ||
| Sustainability Network Rede Sustentabilidade | REDE | Green politics | Centre-left | Paulo Lamac, Iaraci Dias | 3 / 513 | 0 / 81 | 6 / 1,059 | 0 / 27 | ||
Parties without representation in the National Congress
| Logo | Party | Ideology | Political position | Leader(s) | Assemblies | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazilian Labour Renewal Party Partido Renovador Trabalhista Brasileiro | PRTB | Conservatism Janismo | Right-wing to far-right | Leonardo Avalanche, Pablo Marçal | 6 / 1,059 | ||
| Act Agir | AGIR | Autistic people's interests | Centrism | Daniel Tourinho | 5 / 1,059 | ||
| National Mobilization Mobilização Nacional | Mobiliza | Brazilian nationalism Third-worldism Big tent | Centre-right | Antonio Massarollo | 5 / 1,059 | ||
| Brazilian Woman's Party Partido da Mulher Brasileira | PMB | Social conservatism Anti-feminism | Right-wing | Suêd Haidar | 3 / 1,059 | ||
| Christian Democracy Democracia Cristã | DC | Christian democracy | Centre-right | José Maria Eymael | 1 / 1,059 | ||
| Workers' Cause Party Partido da Causa Operária | PCO | Trotskyism Anti-Americanism | Far-left | Rui Costa Pimenta | — | ||
| Brazilian Communist Party Partido Comunista Brasileiro | PCB | Marxism-Leninism | Far-left | Edmilson Costa | — | ||
| United Socialist Workers' Party Partido Socialista dos Trabalhadores Unificado | PSTU | Trotskyism Morenismo | Far-left | Zé Maria | — | ||
| Popular Unity Unidade Popular | UP | Revolutionary socialism Anti-capitalism Anti-racism | Far-left | Léo Péricles | — | ||
| Mission Missão | MISSÃO | National liberalism Bukelism Social conservatism | Right-wing | Renan Santos | — | ||
Party federations
On 28 September 2021, Law No. 14,208 was enacted, establishing "federations" (Portuguese: federações). These federations are associations between parties, considered as a single party in elections and legislative activities such as the creation of caucuses and committees. The associated parties must belong to the federation for at least four years from the date of its registration, with penalties if they leave before the deadline.
The establishment of party federations followed the abolition of coalitions in proportional elections, which had functioned as single parties in seat allocation. This change was implemented through Constitutional Amendment No. 97 of 2017, which also introduced an electoral threshold for future parliamentary elections. Parties and federations that surpass this threshold gain access to public subsidies through the Party Fund (Portuguese: Fundo Partidário) and are entitled to free advertising on radio and television.
Below are listed the federations currently registered with the Superior Electoral Court:
| Federation | President | Representation | Parties | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deputies | Senators | Assemb. | ||||
| Brazil of Hope Federation Federação Brasil da Esperança | Luciana Santos | 80 / 513 | 9 / 81 | 156 / 1,059 | PT | |
| PCdoB | ||||||
| PV | ||||||
| PSDB Cidadania Federation Federação PSDB Cidadania | Marconi Perillo | 17 / 513 | 3 / 81 | 74 / 1,059 | PSDB | |
| Cidadania | ||||||
| PSOL REDE Federation Federação PSOL REDE | Paula Coradi | 15 / 513 | 0 / 81 | 28 / 1,059 | PSOL | |
| REDE | ||||||
Extinct parties
This list presents the parties of the current Sixth Republic that were once registered with the Superior Electoral Court, but have ceased to exist. The existence of all these parties has ended by the result of mergers.
- Democrats - DEM (Democratas)
- Party of the Nation's Retirees - PAN (Partido dos Aposentados da Nação)
- Christian Democratic Party (1985) - PDC (Partido Democrata Cristão)
- Democratic Social Party - PDS (Partido Democrático Social)
- Workers' General Party - PGT (Partido Geral dos Trabalhadores)
- Humanist Party of Solidarity - PHS (Partido Humanista da Solidariedade)
- Liberal Party (1985) - PL (Partido Liberal)
- Free Fatherland Party - PPL (Partido Pátria Livre)
- Progressive Party (1993) - PP (Partido Progressista)
- Reform Progressive Party - PPR (Partido Progressista Reformador)
- Party of Reconstruction of the National Order - PRONA (Partido de Reedificação da Ordem Nacional)
- Republican Party of the Social Order - PROS (Partido Republicano da Ordem Social)
- Progressive Republican Party - PRP (Partido Republicano Progressista)
- Social Christian Party - PSC (Partido Social Cristão)
- Social Democratic Party (1987) - PSD (Partido Social Democrático)
- Social Liberal Party - PSL (Partido Social Liberal)
- Social Labour Party (1983) - PST (Partido Social Trabalhista)
- Brazilian Labour Party (1981) - PTB (Partido Trabalhista Brasileiro)
- Renewal Labour Party - PTR (Partido Trabalhista Renovador)
- Patriot (Patriota)
Historical parties
This list presents the parties that never reached the Sixth Republic. Due to the large number of parties that were dissolved, especially during the First and Second Republics, it is not intended to be an exhaustive list.
Imperial Brazil (1822–1889)
- Conservative Party (Partido Conservador)
- Liberal Party (Partido Liberal)
- Progressive League (Liga Progressista)
First and Second Republics (1889–1937)
- Paulista Republican Party - PRP (Partido Republicano Paulista)
- Rio-grandense Republican Party - PRR (Partido Republicano Rio-Grandense)
- Minas Gerais Republican Party - PRM (Partido Republicano Mineiro)
- Fluminense Republican Party - PRF (Partido Republicano Fluminense)
- Federal Republican Party - PRF (Partido Republicano Federal)
- Conservative Republican Party - PRC (Partido Republicano Conservador)
- Democratic Party - PD (Partido Democrático)
- Liberating Party - PL (Partido Libertador)
- Brazilian Black Front - FNB (Frente Negra Brasileira)
- Catholic Electoral League (Liga Eleitoral Católica)
- Brazilian Integralist Action - AIB (Ação Integralista Brasileira)
Fourth Republic (1945–1964)
- National Democratic Union - UDN (União Democrática Nacional)
- Brazilian Labour Party (1945) - PTB (Partido Trabalhista Brasileiro)
- Brazilian Socialist Party (1945) - PSB (Partido Socialista Brasileiro)
- Orienting Labour Party - POT (Partido Orientador Trabalhista)
- Christian Democratic Party (1945) - PDC (Partido Democrata Cristão)
- Social Democratic Party (1945) - PSD (Partido Social Democrático)
- Republican Party - PR (Partido Republicano)
- Popular Representation Party - PRP (Partido de Representação Popular)
- National Labour Party - PTN (Partido Trabalhista Nacional)
- Social Labour Party (1946) - PST (Partido Social Trabalhista)
- Social Progressive Party - PSP (Partido Social Progressista)
- Republican Labour Party - PRT (Partido Republicano Trabalhista)
- Renewal Labour Movement - MTR (Movimento Trabalhista Renovador)
Military Dictatorship (1964–1985)
- National Renewal Alliance - ARENA (Aliança Renovadora Nacional)
- Brazilian Democratic Movement - MDB (Movimento Democrático Brasileiro)
See also
- Politics of Brazil
- List of political parties by country
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