Brazil has a multi-party system since 1979, when the country's military dictatorship disbanded an enforced two-party system and allowed the creation of multiple parties. All candidates for federal, state, municipal, and Federal District offices must be nominated by a political party. Independent politicians are not allowed to run for office in Brazil.

The Brazilian National Congress has been since characterized by political fragmentation, reaching a peak of 35 registered political parties in 2018, 30 of which were represented in congress after the 2018 general election, with an effective number of parties of 16.5. An electoral threshold introduced in 2017, which restricted access to party subsidies and free party political broadcasts, combined with the end of coalitions in proportional elections, has since caused this number to decrease. Since 2021, parties are allowed to unite under party federations, with a minimum duration of four years, sharing a common statute and leadership.

Since the 2022 general election, the Liberal Party (PL), the Workers' Party (PT), the Brazil Union (UNIÃO), the Progressives (PP), the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) and the Republicans together control over 80% of the Brazilian Congress, along with over 70% of the mayors in municipalities.

Brazilian parties have access to party subsidies in the form of Fundo Partidário () and Fundo Eleitoral (),Fundo Partidário (estudo) . Por Miriam Campelo de Melo Amorim. Brasília: Biblioteca Digital da Câmara dos Deputados, outubro de 2005. and a system of free party political broadcasts during election time known as the horário eleitoral gratuito.

Since 1982, Brazilian political parties have been given an electoral number to make it easier for illiterate people to vote. Initially, it was a one-digit number: 1 for PDS, 2 for PDT, 3 for PT, 4 for PTB, and 5 for PMDB. When it became clear that there was going to be more than nine parties, two-digit numbers were assigned, with the first five parties having a "1" added to their former one-digit number (PDS becoming number 11, PDT 12, PT 13, PTB 14, and PMDB 15). Political parties often change their names, but they can retain their number.

Active parties

Parties with representation in the National Congress Logo Party Politicalposition President Chamber Senate Assemblies Governors Liberal Party PL Right-wing to far-right Valdemar Costa Neto Workers' Party PT Centre-left Edinho Silva Brazil Union UNIÃO Antônio de Rueda Progressives PP Centre-right Ciro Nogueira Social Democratic Party PSD Centre Gilberto Kassab Republicans Repub. Marcos Pereira Brazilian Democratic Movement MDB Baleia Rossi Brazilian Socialist Party PSB Centre to centre-leftHistorically:Left-wing João Henrique Campos We Can PODE Renata Abreu Brazilian Social Democracy Party PSDB Centre to Centre-rightHistorical, now faction:Centre to centre-left Marconi Perillo Democratic Labour Party PDT Carlos Lupi Socialism and Liberty Party PSOL Paula Coradi Communist Party of Brazil PCdoB Centre-left to left-wingHistorically:Far-left Luciana Santos Forward Avante Luis Tibé New Party NOVO Eduardo Ribeiro Solidarity Solid. Centre Paulinho da Força Democratic Renewal Party PRD Marcus Vinícius Neskau Green Party PV José Luiz Penna Citizenship Cidad. Roberto Freire Sustainability Network REDE Mission Party MISSÃO Renan Santos

Parties without representation in the National Congress Logo Party Ideology Politicalposition President Assemblies Brazilian Labour Renewal Party PRTB Leonardo Avalanche Act AGIR Daniel Tourinho National Mobilization Mobiliza Antonio Massarollo Democrat Suêd Haidar Christian Democracy DC José Maria Eymael Workers' Cause Party PCO Rui Costa Pimenta Brazilian Communist Party PCB Edmilson Costa United Socialist Workers' Party PSTU Zé Maria Popular Unity UP Léo Péricles

Party federations On 28 September 2021, Law No. 14,208 was enacted, establishing "federations" (). These federations are associations between parties, considered as a single party in elections and legislative activities such as the creation of caucuses and committees. The associated parties must belong to the federation for at least four years from the date of its registration, with penalties if they leave before the deadline.

The establishment of party federations followed the abolition of coalitions in proportional elections, which allowed parties to function as single in seat allocation. This change was implemented through Constitutional Amendment No. 97 of 2017, which also introduced an electoral threshold for future parliamentary elections. Parties and federations that surpass this threshold gain access to public subsidies through the Party Fund () and are entitled to free advertising on radio and television.

Below are listed the federations currently registered with the Superior Electoral Court: Federation President Representation Parties Deputies Senators Assemb. Brazil of Hope Federation José Luiz Penna PT PCdoB PV PSDB Cidadania Federation Aécio Neves PSDB Cidadania PSOL REDE Federation Paula Coradi PSOL REDESolidary Renewal FederationOvasco Resende Solidariedade PRDProgressive UnionAntônio RuedaCiro Nogueira UNIÃO PP

Extinct parties This list presents the parties of the current Sixth Republic that were once registered with the Superior Electoral Court, but have ceased to exist. The existence of all these parties has ended by the result of mergers. Democrats - DEM (Democratas) Party of the Nation's Retirees - PAN (Partido dos Aposentados da Nação) - PDC (Partido Democrata Cristão) Democratic Social Party - PDS (Partido Democrático Social) Workers' General Party - PGT (Partido Geral dos Trabalhadores) Humanist Party of Solidarity - PHS (Partido Humanista da Solidariedade) Liberal Party (1985) - PL (Partido Liberal) Free Fatherland Party - PPL (Partido Pátria Livre) Progressive Party (1993) - PP (Partido Progressista) Reform Progressive Party - PPR (Partido Progressista Reformador) Party of Reconstruction of the National Order - PRONA (Partido de Reedificação da Ordem Nacional) Republican Party of the Social Order - PROS (Partido Republicano da Ordem Social) Progressive Republican Party - PRP (Partido Republicano Progressista) Social Christian Party - PSC (Partido Social Cristão) Social Democratic Party (1987) - PSD (Partido Social Democrático) Social Liberal Party - PSL (Partido Social Liberal) Social Labour Party (1983) - PST (Partido Social Trabalhista) Brazilian Labour Party (1981) - PTB (Partido Trabalhista Brasileiro) Renewal Labour Party - PTR (Partido Trabalhista Renovador) Patriot (Patriota)

Historical parties This list presents the parties that never reached the Sixth Republic. Due to the large number of parties that were dissolved, especially during the First and Second Republics, it is not intended to be an exhaustive list.

Imperial Brazil (1822–1889)

Conservative Party (Partido Conservador) Liberal Party (Partido Liberal) Progressive League (Liga Progressista)

First and Second Republics (1889–1937)

Paulista Republican Party - PRP (Partido Republicano Paulista) Rio-grandense Republican Party - PRR (Partido Republicano Rio-Grandense) Minas Gerais Republican Party - PRM (Partido Republicano Mineiro) Fluminense Republican Party - PRF (Partido Republicano Fluminense) Federal Republican Party - PRF (Partido Republicano Federal) Conservative Republican Party - PRC (Partido Republicano Conservador) Democratic Party - PD (Partido Democrático) Liberating Party - PL (Partido Libertador) Brazilian Black Front - FNB (Frente Negra Brasileira) Catholic Electoral League (Liga Eleitoral Católica) Brazilian Integralist Action - AIB (Ação Integralista Brasileira)

Fourth Republic (1945–1964)

National Democratic Union - UDN (União Democrática Nacional) Brazilian Labour Party (1945) - PTB (Partido Trabalhista Brasileiro) - PSB (Partido Socialista Brasileiro) Orienting Labour Party - POT (Partido Orientador Trabalhista) - PDC (Partido Democrata Cristão) Social Democratic Party (1945) - PSD (Partido Social Democrático) Republican Party - PR (Partido Republicano) Popular Representation Party - PRP (Partido de Representação Popular) National Labour Party - PTN (Partido Trabalhista Nacional) - PST (Partido Social Trabalhista) Social Progressive Party - PSP (Partido Social Progressista) - PRT (Partido Republicano Trabalhista) - MTR (Movimento Trabalhista Renovador)

Military Dictatorship (1964–1985)

National Renewal Alliance - ARENA (Aliança Renovadora Nacional) Brazilian Democratic Movement - MDB (Movimento Democrático Brasileiro)

See also Politics of Brazil List of political parties by country

Notes

References