Brazilian Congress Strengthening Undermines Legislative Transparency

A policy paper released by the Fundação Fernando Henrique Cardoso argues that recent strengthening of Brazil's Congress has been driven by informal rules that concentrate power in the presidencies of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Researchers Beatriz Rey and Sergio Fausto say this dynamic has reduced predictability and transparency in the legislative process, citing examples such as the hybrid voting system that continued remote participation after the COVID‑19 emergency and discretionary quorum‑building tactics.

The paper also notes that informal mechanisms like the “colégio de líderes,” a leadership group that sets the agenda, distort committee work and the use of budget amendments. While the authors acknowledge that a more powerful Congress is not inherently negative, they warn that the manner of its consolidation threatens democratic oversight.

In parallel, an explanatory overview outlines the formal structure of the Brazilian bicameral Congress, detailing the composition of the 513‑member Chamber of Deputies and the 81‑member Senate, their constitutional powers, and oversight tools such as the Tribunal de Contas da União and parliamentary inquiries.