Brazilian Parliament
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National Congress Congresso Nacional |
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| 55th Legislature of the National Congress | |
Coat of arms of Brazil
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses |
Federal Senate Chamber of Deputies |
| History | |
| Founded | May 6, 1826 |
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New session started
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February 2, 2016 |
| Leadership | |
| Structure | |
| Seats |
594 members: 81 senators 513 deputies |
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Federal Senate political groups
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Chamber of Deputies political groups
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| Elections | |
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Federal Senate voting system
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Plurality voting, alternating every four years between single-member elections (FPTP) and dual-member elections (Block voting) |
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Chamber of Deputies voting system
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Open list proportional representation |
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Last general election
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5 October 2014 |
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Next general election
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7 October 2018 |
| Meeting place | |
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| National Congress building Brasília, Federal District, Brazil |
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| Website | |
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Federal Senate Chamber of Deputies |
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Government (64)
Minority (17)
Government Coalition (407)
Opposition (106)
The National Congress (Portuguese: Congresso Nacional) is the legislative body of Brazil's federal government. Unlike the state Legislative Assemblies and Municipal Chambers, the Congress is bicameral, composed of the Federal Senate (the upper house) and the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house). The Congress meets annually in its Brasília seat from 2 February to 27 July and from 1 August to 22 December.
The Senate represents the 26 states and the Federal District. Each state and the Federal District has a representation of three Senators, who are elected by popular ballot for a term of eight years. Every four years, renewal of either one third or two-thirds of the Senate (and of the delegations of the States and the Federal District) takes place.
The Chamber of Deputies represents the people of each state, and its members are elected for a four-year term by a proportional representation. Seats are allotted proportionally according to each state's population, with each state eligible for a minimum of 8 seats (least populous) and a maximum of 70 seats (most populous). Unlike the Senate, the whole of the Chamber of Deputies is renewed every four years.
Until recently it was common for politicians to switch parties and the proportion of congressional seats held by each party would often change. However, a decision of the Supreme Federal Court has ruled that the seats belong to the parties and not to the politicians, and that one can only change parties and retain his seat in a very limited set of cases. Consequently, politicians who abandon the party for which they were elected now face the loss of their Congressional seat.
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Wikipedia