Brazilian House Goes to the Supreme Against Electoral Rule

The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies intends to appeal to the Federal Supreme Court (STF) against the maintenance of piggybacking ("verticalização") in this year’s elections.

The announcement was made by the president of the Chamber, Aldo Rebelo (Partido Comunista do Brasil – São Paulo), who claims that "the Federal Elections Court [TSE] is not a constitutional tribunal. From this point of view, the court overstepped its jurisdiction and duties."

On Friday, March 3, by a vote of 5-2, the TSE upheld the electoral rules for piggybacking in party coalitions. According to the rule instated for the 2002 elections, parties allied in the presidential race are obliged to maintain the same alliances in state contests.

Rebelo defended the promulgation of the constitutional amendment bill (PEC – Proposta de Emenda à Constituição – Constitutional Amendment Proposal – 548/02), which abolishes the piggybacking requirement for this year’s elections.

The PEC was approved by the Senate and the Chamber and is awaiting promulgation by the presiding bodies of both houses in order to be incorporated into the Constitution.

"I will call for its promulgation together with the president of the Senate," he declared.

In a meeting, Tuesday, March 7, with the president of the Chamber and party leaders, the president of the Senate, Renan Calheiros (Partido do Movimento Democrático Brasileiro -Alagoas), is expected to set a date for the promulgation of the PEC.

Rebelo argues that the TSE’s decision to require piggybacking in party coalitions also occurred in an election year. The resolution was pronounced by the court in 2002 and was valid for that year’s elections.

"I am certain of the facts indicating the existence of a PEC overthrowing the principle of piggybacking, which was decreed into existence in an election year by the TSE," he commented.

He went on to say that, if there is a PEC that has been approved, it will take effect as soon as it is promulgated.

For the president of the Chamber, the authority of each branch should be respected: "I am not talking about party balance or electoral balance. I am talking about the authority of each one of the branches. The legislative branch has the right to vote and amend the Constitution."

Agência Brasil

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazilian TAM Gets LatAm’s Most Modern Aviation Training Center

TAM, Brazil’s largest airline company, inaugurated this week the new training mock-ups in the ...

Low Inflation Seems to Have Days Counted in Brazil

Brazil's consumer prices index in August increased at its slowest pace in 11 months, ...

With 32 Deaths and 40,000 Dengue Cases Bahia Appeals to Brazil Government

Dengue, the mosquito-transmitted disease, which has ravaged Bolivia, Paraguay, North Argentina (and now threatens ...

Air France Tragedy: Brazilian Navy Finds 8 More Bodies. 24 Recovered Now

Brazilian Air Force and Navy search teams together with  the French have recovered now ...

Lula Is About to Fulfill His Wish of Getting His Good Friend Chavez in Mercosur

On July 4, 2006, representatives of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay met in Caracas ...

Brazil Opts for Regional Development in Program Involving 23 Ministries

Approximately 2.5 million people from the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri river valleys region in Brazil ...

Prowling in Rio

Those women dressed in tight clothes are now sambaing, vigorously. The whole place has ...

Life School

Increased liberalization of economic policy in Brazil is creating new threats and opportunities for ...

In Brazil, Basic Education Gets Only the Crumbs of Public Money

Objective measures of the cognitive ability of students in the Brazilian education system have ...

Out to the Ball Game, in Brazil

If one of our players makes a mistake he’s an asshole. If a referee ...