Brazil

Federal Senate

Political system: Presidential system
Structure of parliament: Bicameral
IPU membership: Yes

Election results

Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections.

Background

Election date(s): 05 Oct 2014
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: No information available
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Number of seats at stake: 27
Scope of elections: Partial renewal

Candidates

Number of parties contesting the election: 16
Total number of candidates: 165
The number of women candidates is not available from authoritative sources.: Yes

Results

About the election: A coalition supporting President Dilma Rousseff of the Workers' Party (PT, see note 1) retained a majority in both chambers of Congress. It took 304 seats in the 543-member Chamber of Deputies and controlled 58 seats following the partial renewal of the 81-member Senate. An opposition coalition supporting the presidential bid of Senator Aecio Neves of the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB, see note 2) took a total of 128 seats in the Chamber and held 20 seats in the Senate. Ms. Rousseff won the run-off presidential elections held on 26 October, narrowly defeating Senator Neves. The latter was backed by Ms. Marina Silva of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), who came third in the first round of the presidential elections.

President Rousseff's PT - in power since 2003 - ran on the government's record, citing its success in reducing unemployment. It promised to expand the social welfare programme, in particular the Bolsa Familia, the family allowance for low-income families that covers about one-fifth of the population. The PSDB also promised to maintain the Bolsa Familia, while promoting business-friendly policies and a smaller role for the State in the economy. It proposed to reduce the minimum age at which minors can be tried as adults for serious crimes from 18 to 16 years old. The PSB opposed this plan, and promised better protection for indigenous communities.

Note 1:

The winning coalition comprised the Workers' Party (PT), the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Progressive Party (PP), the Party of the Republic (PR), the Brazilian Republican Party (PRB), the Democratic Labour Party (PDT) and the Republican Party of the Social Order (PROS).

Note 2:

The opposition coalition comprised the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), the Brazilian Labour Party (PTB), the Democrats (DEM), the Solidality (SD), National Labour Party (PTN), the National Mobilization Party (PMN), the National Ecologic Party (PEN), the Christian Labour Party (PTC) and Labour Party of Brazil (PT do B).
Number of parties winning seats: 10
Percentage of parties winning seats: 62.5%
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition: 66.7%
Alternation of power after elections: No
Number of parties in government: 10
Names of parties in government: Workers' Party (PT), Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), Democratic Labour Party (PDT), Brazilian Labour Party (PTB), Progressive Party (PP), Party of the Republic (PR), Communist Party of Brazil (PC do B), Social Democratic Party (PSD), Brazilian Republican Party (PRB) and Republican Party of the Social Order (PROS)

In addition, the following three parties are in the governing coalition in the Chamber of Deputies: the Labour Party of Brazil (PT do B), the Progressive Republican Party (PRP) and the National Mobilization Party (PMN).

Parties or coalitions winning seats

Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group	Total	Seats 2014
Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB)	18	5
Workers' Party (PT)	12	2
Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB)	10	4
Democratic Labour Party (PDT)	6	4
Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB)	6	3
Progressive Party (PP)	5	1
Democrats (DEM)	5	3
Party of the Republic (PR)	4	1
Social Democratic Party (PSD)	4	2
Brazilian Labour Party (PTB)	3	2
Green Party (PV)	1	0
Republican Party of the Social Order (PROS)	1	0
Solidality (SD)	1	0
Communist Party of Brazil (PC do B)	1	0
Brazilian Republican Party (PRB)	1	0
Popular Socialist Party (PPS)	1	0
Social Christian Party (PSC)	1	0
Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL)	1	0

Members elected, by sex

Number of men elected: 22
Number of women elected: 5

Notes: Five women were elected to the 27 seats at stake in the 2014 elections, bringing the number of women senators to 11 out of a total of 81.
Percentage of women elected: 18.5%
Women Directly Elected: 5
Sources: Senate (30.10.2014, 10.12.2014, 05.02.2015, 01.01.2017)

New legislature

Total number of men after the election: 70
Total number of women after the election: 11
Percentage of women after the election: 13.6%
First-term parliamentarians: 22
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians: 27.2%
Date of the first session: 01 Feb 2015

First Speaker of the new legislature

Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature: José Renan Vasconcelos Calheiros (Male)
Political party: Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB)