Brasília, March 4, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Public financing of campaigns, closed party list voting, and the end of alliances in proportional elections are the major changes in the Brazilian electoral system that will be discussed today, at 11 A.M., during a meeting between Chamber president João Paulo Cunha and the collegium of leaders. The changes were proposed by the Special Commission on Political Reform, which labored for nine months to assemble two bills: PL 2679/03 and PL 1712/03.

The rapporteur of the Special Commission, Deputy Ronaldo Caiado (PFL-GO), believes that the proposals will not undergo significant modifications on the Chamber floor, because they are firmly attached to two pillars: public financing of campaigns and closed lists. "The Political Reform proposal is a vaccine against the scandals of election campaign donations," Caiado observes. Deputy Alexandre Cardoso (PSB-RJ), who presided over the Special Commission, is betting on the political will to approve the proposals. For him, public financing of campaigns will democratize the Brazilian electoral system.

REDUCING EXPENSES

According to the rapporteur, the modifications in the Brazilian electoral system will produce substiantial changes in the culture and the way that politics is conducted in Brazil. Caiado points out that nowadays an election campaign costs R$ 10-12 billion, on the average, but, with the changes that are proposed, these expenses could be cut to R$ 812 million, around 10% of what is currently spent. "More resources will not be necessary, since individual campaigns will be eliminated, with voters choosing parties instead of candidates," he explains.

In his assessment, even the individual amendments that legislators introduce into the Federal Budget will no longer make sense, when votes are for pre-arranged lists. The rapporteur recalls that the Executive branch reserves around R$ 1.4 billion for these amendments. (DAS)