| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Congresso nacional / National Congress |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Senado Federal / Federal Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Cámara dos Deputados / Chamber of Deputies
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
5 October 2014 |
| Purpose of elections |
A coalition supporting President Dilma Rousseff of the Workers' Party (PT, see note 1) retained a majority in both chambers of Congress. It took 304 seats in the 543-member Chamber of Deputies and controlled 58 seats following the partial renewal of the 81-member Senate. An opposition coalition supporting the presidential bid of Senator Aecio Neves of the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB, see note 2) took a total of 128 seats in the Chamber and held 20 seats in the Senate. Ms. Rousseff won the run-off presidential elections held on 26 October, narrowly defeating Senator Neves. The latter was backed by Ms. Marina Silva of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), who came third in the first round of the presidential elections.
President Rousseff's PT - in power since 2003 - ran on the government's record, citing its success in reducing unemployment. It promised to expand the social welfare programme, in particular the Bolsa Familia, the family allowance for low-income families that covers about one-fifth of the population. The PSDB also promised to maintain the Bolsa Familia, while promoting business-friendly policies and a smaller role for the State in the economy. It proposed to reduce the minimum age at which minors can be tried as adults for serious crimes from 18 to 16 years old. The PSB opposed this plan, and promised better protection for indigenous communities.
Note 1:
The winning coalition comprised the Workers' Party (PT), the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Progressive Party (PP), the Party of the Republic (PR), the Brazilian Republican Party (PRB), the Democratic Labour Party (PDT) and the Republican Party of the Social Order (PROS).
Note 2:
The opposition coalition comprised the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), the Brazilian Labour Party (PTB), the Democrats (DEM), the Solidality (SD), National Labour Party (PTN), the National Mobilization Party (PMN), the National Ecologic Party (PEN), the Christian Labour Party (PTC) and Labour Party of Brazil (PT do B). |
Date of previous elections: 2 October 2010
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections: October 2018
Number of seats at stake: 27 (partial renewal)
Number of candidates: 165
Percentage of women candidates: Not available
Number of parties contesting the election: 16
Number of parties winning seats: 10
Alternation of power: No
Number of parties in government: 10
Names of parties in government: Workers' Party (PT), Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), Democratic Labour Party (PDT), Brazilian Labour Party (PTB), Progressive Party (PP), Party of the Republic (PR), Communist Party of Brazil (PC do B), Social Democratic Party (PSD), Brazilian Republican Party (PRB) and Republican Party of the Social Order (PROS)*
*In addition, the following three parties are in the governing coalition in the Chamber of Deputies: the Labour Party of Brazil (PT do B), the Progressive Republican Party (PRP) and the National Mobilization Party (PMN).
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 1 February 2015
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. José Renan Vasconcelos Calheiros (Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, PMDB) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 5 October 2014 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Workers' Party (PT) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Democratic Labour Party (PDT) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Progressive Party (PP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Democrats (DEM) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Party of the Republic (PR) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Brazilian Labour Party (PTB) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Green Party (PV) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Republican Party of the Social Order (PROS) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Solidality (SD) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Communist Party of Brazil (PC do B) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Brazilian Republican Party (PRB) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Popular Socialist Party (PPS) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Christian Party (PSC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Seats 2014 |
|
|
|
| Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) |
18
|
5 |
|
|
|
| Workers' Party (PT) |
12
|
2 |
|
|
|
| Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB) |
10
|
4 |
|
|
|
| Democratic Labour Party (PDT) |
6
|
4 |
|
|
|
| Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) |
6
|
3 |
|
|
|
| Progressive Party (PP) |
5
|
1 |
|
|
|
| Democrats (DEM) |
5
|
3 |
|
|
|
| Party of the Republic (PR) |
4
|
1 |
|
|
|
| Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
4
|
2 |
|
|
|
| Brazilian Labour Party (PTB) |
3
|
2 |
|
|
|
| Green Party (PV) |
1
|
0 |
|
|
|
| Republican Party of the Social Order (PROS) |
1
|
0 |
|
|
|
| Solidality (SD) |
1
|
0 |
|
|
|
| Communist Party of Brazil (PC do B) |
1
|
0 |
|
|
|
| Brazilian Republican Party (PRB) |
1
|
0 |
|
|
|
| Popular Socialist Party (PPS) |
1
|
0 |
|
|
|
| Social Christian Party (PSC) |
1
|
0 |
|
|
|
| Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) |
1
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
22
5
18.52%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Source: Senate (30.10.2014, 10.12.2014, 05.02.2015, 01.01.2017)
Note on the distribution of seats according to sex:
Five women were elected to the 27 seats at stake in the 2014 elections, bringing the number of women senators to 11 out of a total of 81. |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
