Check the powers of the contested positions in the 2022 elections

Published on 09/25/2022 03:55

(Credit: WILSON DIAS / AGÊNCIA BRASIL)

From district deputy to president, this year’s elections include a large number of positions and vacancies. The presidential race can often be highlighted, but the practice of democracy requires an understanding of what each of the contested positions within politics does and, not least, the system in which they are elected.

In the executive branch, the 2022 elections for the president and governors are held. The position of president is considered the highest in Brazilian politics, and represents the head of both state and government – in the United Kingdom, for example, both are divided between the king and the prime minister. It is up to the president to administer the federal administration with his ministers, formulate public policies through decrees or temporary measures, send bills to Congress and represent the state on the international stage, among other obligations.

Governors, in turn, are the executive branch at the state level, in addition to representing their states in dealing with state governments. This position is responsible for managing public security, education, infrastructure, health, and the annual budget of the federal entity. The governor can also make bills for submission to the state legislature. However, part of its powers must be discussed with municipalities and the federal government.

Both the president and governors are elected through a majority system and an absolute majority of the votes must be achieved, i.e. more than 50%. 13 candidates for president and 224 for governor are registered with the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. The term of office lasts for four years.

For legislation, federal representatives, senators, and state/provincial representatives compete. At the state level, Representatives are responsible for making laws covering each federal unit and making changes to the state constitution. They work within the legislatures, or legislative chamber of the federal district, and have jurisprudence on, say, the establishment of state taxes. The number of Representatives varies depending on the population of each state and the number of Representatives in the House of Representatives.

Likewise, federal representatives work to create and adopt bills of federal jurisdiction. They also have the role of overseeing the executive branch, and the ability to request explanations and statements from ministers and the president himself. One mechanism for this is, for example, a call for clarifications at public hearings.

distribution

Representatives, federal or state, are elected through the proportional system, which aims to distribute legislative seats in a more balanced manner. In short, the idea is that if a party gets 10% of the vote, it will get about 10% of the seats in Parliament. For this, the vote takes into account the electoral quotient, which consists in dividing valid votes by the total number of contested vacancies. At the end of the election, the number of seats each party (or union, starting this year) is entitled to is counted. Then it is filled with the most voted candidates. 10,628 candidates are running for the House of Representatives and 16,737 candidates are running for the state deputy. The terms are four years.

There is also a dispute over 27 seats in the Federal Senate, one for each federal unit. The position is also part of the federal legislature and works alongside MPs in most of their functions. They can also propose and vote on bills, for example, which are usually passed between the two houses. However, there are some non-common functions: only deputies, for example, oversee the executive, and the Senate only approves the selection of judges by the president.

Senators are elected by a majority system, as are members of the executive branch. The senator’s term of office is eight years, and 243 candidates are vying for seats in 2022.