Marcos Chagas Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília – There have been so many attempts at political reform that senator Francisco Dornelles (PP-RJ), who was named head of a special commission (“commissão da reforma politica”) to examine the issue, says he went through over 100 proposals covering 11 areas. Now, a selection of proposals will go to the Senate”s Constitution and Justice Commission (“Comissão de Constituição e Justiça - CCJ”) for a final examination. According to Dornelles, there should be a commission vote next week.

Among the proposals, many are peculiar to the Brazilian political system. For example, one proposal will reduce the number of substitutes (“suplentes”) a senator can have from two to one. Another, a proposed constitutional amendment (“PEC”), would make it illegal to practice nepotism with suplentes (that is, appoint relatives) [note: in the present federal legislature (Senate and Chamber of Deputies) more than 40 members have vacated their seats to take posts in the federal or state governments. This is not unusual in Brazil and is the reason so much attention is paid to suplentes]

Yet another PEC proposes an end to the reelection of the president, governors and mayors; at the same time it changes the length of term of office from four to five years. Another moves the date of inaugurations from January 1 to January 10 (the proposal points out that more people would attend if the ceremonies were not on the morning after New Year’s eve celebrations). Finally, in a country with 27 political parties, there is a proposal to limit coalitions to elections for president, governors and mayors (that is, when the election requires the winner to have a majority. Elections for legislative seats are proportional in Brazil).

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English

Link - Propostas de reforma política começam a tramitar na CCJ do Senado na semana que vem