List of political parties in Brazil

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.[1] 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.[2]

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[3][4][5], with an effective number of parties of 16.5.[6] 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.[6][7] Since 2021, parties are allowed to unite under party federations, with a minimum duration of four years, sharing a common statute and leadership.[8]

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.[9][10]

Brazilian parties have access to party subsidies in the form of Fundo Partidário (lit. 'Party Fund') and Fundo Eleitoral (lit. 'Electoral Fund')[11], and a system of free party political broadcasts during election time known as the horário eleitoral gratuito.[12]

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.[13] 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).[14] Political parties often change their names, but they can retain their number.

Active parties

Parties with representation in the National Congress

Logo Party Ideology Political
position 		President Chamber[15] Senate[16] Assemblies[17] Governors
Liberal Party
Partido Liberal 		PL
Right-wing
to far-right 		Valdemar Costa Neto
90 / 513
15 / 81
128 / 1,059
2 / 27
 Workers' Party
Partido dos Trabalhadores 		PT
Centre-left
to left-wing 		Edinho Silva
67 / 513
9 / 81
118 / 1,059
4 / 27
Brazil Union
União Brasil 		UNIÃO
Centre-right Antônio de Rueda
55 / 513
5 / 81
98 / 1,059
4 / 27
 Progressives
Progressistas 		PP
Centre-right Ciro Nogueira
48 / 513
8 / 81
86 / 1,059
2 / 27
Social Democratic Party
Partido Social Democrático 		PSD
Centre to
centre-right 		Gilberto Kassab
46 / 513
13 / 81
79 / 1,059
4 / 27
Republicans
Republicanos 		Repub.
Centre-right
to right-wing 		Marcos Pereira
45 / 513
5 / 81
76 / 1,059
2 / 27
Brazilian Democratic Movement
Movimento Democrático Brasileiro 		MDB
Centre to
centre-right 		Baleia Rossi
43 / 513
10 / 81
94 / 1,059
3 / 27
Brazilian Socialist Party
Partido Socialista Brasileiro 		PSB
Centre-left João Henrique Campos
16 / 513
5 / 81
54 / 1,059
3 / 27
We Can
Podemos 		PODE Liberal conservatism Centre-right Renata Abreu
16 / 513
4 / 81
48 / 1,059
0 / 27
Brazilian Social Democracy Party
Partido da Social Democracia Brasileira 		PSDB Social liberalism

Third Way

Centre-right Marconi Perillo
16 / 513
3 / 81
55 / 1,059
1 / 27
Democratic Labour Party
Partido Democrático Trabalhista 		PDT
Centre-left
to left-wing 		Carlos Lupi
16 / 513
2 / 81
44 / 1,059
0 / 27
Socialism and Liberty Party
Partido Socialismo e Liberdade 		PSOL
Left-wing Paula Coradi
11 / 513
0 / 81
22 / 1,059
0 / 27
Communist Party of Brazil
Partido Comunista do Brasil 		PCdoB
Left-wing Luciana Santos
9 / 513
0 / 81
18 / 1,059
0 / 27
Forward
Avante 		Avante
Centre Luis Tibé
8 / 513
0 / 81
14 / 1,059
0 / 27
New Party
Partido Novo 		NOVO
Right-wing Eduardo Ribeiro
5 / 513
1 / 81
5 / 1,059
1 / 27
Solidarity
Solidariedade 		Solid.
Centre Paulinho da Força
5 / 513
0 / 81
29 / 1,059
1 / 27
Democratic Renewal Party
Partido Renovação Democrática 		PRD
Centre-right
to right-wing 		Marcus Vinícius Neskau
4 / 513
0 / 81
25 / 1,059
0 / 27
Green Party
Partido Verde 		PV
Centre-left José Luiz Penna
4 / 513
0 / 81
20 / 1,059
0 / 27
Citizenship
Cidadania 		Cidad.
Centre Roberto Freire
4 / 513
0 / 81
19 / 1,059
0 / 27
Sustainability Network
Rede Sustentabilidade 		REDE Green politics Centre-left
  • Paulo Lamac
  • Iaraci Dias
4 / 513
0 / 81
6 / 1,059
0 / 27
Mission Party
Partido Missão 		MISSÃO
Right-wing Renan Santos
1 / 513
0 / 81
1 / 1,059
0 / 27

Parties without representation in the National Congress

Logo Party Ideology Political
position 		President Assemblies[17]
Brazilian Labour Renewal Party
Partido Renovador Trabalhista Brasileiro 		PRTB
Right-wing
to far-right 		Leonardo Avalanche
6 / 1,059
Act
Agir 		AGIR Autistic people's interests Centre Daniel Tourinho
5 / 1,059
National Mobilization
Mobilização Nacional 		Mobiliza
Centre-right Antonio Massarollo
5 / 1,059
The Democrat
O Democrata
Centre-right Suêd Haidar
3 / 1,059
Christian Democracy
Democracia Cristã 		DC Christian democracy Centre-right José Maria Eymael
1 / 1,059
Workers' Cause Party
Partido da Causa Operária 		PCO
Far-left Rui Costa Pimenta N/a
Brazilian Communist Party
Partido Comunista Brasileiro 		PCB Marxism-Leninism Far-left Edmilson Costa N/a
United Socialist Workers' Party
Partido Socialista dos Trabalhadores Unificado 		PSTU
Far-left Zé Maria N/a
Popular Unity
Unidade Popular 		UP
Far-left Léo Péricles N/a

Party federations

On 28 September 2021, Law No. 14,208 was enacted, establishing "federations" (Portuguese: federações).[26] These federations are associations between parties, considered as a single party in elections and legislative activities such as the creation of caucuses and committees.[27] 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.[26]

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.[28] Parties and federations that surpass this threshold gain access to public subsidies through the Party Fund (Portuguese: Fundo Partidário) and are entitled to free advertising on radio and television.

Below are listed the federations currently registered with the Superior Electoral Court:[29]

Federation President Representation[30][31][32] Parties
Deputies Senators Assemb.
Brazil of Hope Federation
Federação Brasil da Esperança 		José Luiz Penna
80 / 513
9 / 81
156 / 1,059
 PT
PCdoB
PV
PSDB Cidadania Federation
Federação PSDB Cidadania 		Marconi Perillo
17 / 513
3 / 81
74 / 1,059
 PSDB
Cidadania
PSOL REDE Federation
Federação PSOL REDE 		Paula Coradi
15 / 513
0 / 81
28 / 1,059
 PSOL
REDE
Solidarity Renewal Federation
Federação Renovação Solidária 		Ovasco Resende
10 / 513
0 / 81
54 / 1,059
 Solidariedade
PRD

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.

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)

First and Second Republics (1889–1937)

Fourth Republic (1945–1964)

Military Dictatorship (1964–1985)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Known from 1985 to 2007 as the Party of the Liberal Front (Partido da Frente Liberal).
  2. ^ Known from 1995 to 1998 as the National Solidarist Party (Partido Solidarista Nacional), and from 1998 to 2000 as the Party of National Solidarity (Partido da Solidariedade Nacional).
  3. ^ Known from 2011 to 2017 as the National Ecological Party (Partido Ecológico Nacional).
  4. ^ Also called Progressive Party.
  5. ^ Known from 1945 to 1947 as the Democratic Left (Esquerda Democrática).
  6. ^ Known from 1946 to 1947 as the Proletarian Party of Brazil (Partido Proletário do Brasil).
  7. ^ Created from the merger of three parties: the National Agrarian Party (Partido Agrário Nacional), the Popular Syndicalist Party (Partido Popular Sindicalista) and the Progressive Republican Party (Partido Republicano Progressista).
  8. ^ Known from 1958 until its dissolution in 1965 as the Rural Labour Party (Partido Rural Trabalhista).

References

  1. ^ Sousa, Ana Cristina Augusto de; Silva, Lays Correa da (6 August 2021). "Redemocratização no Brasil: continuidade ou ruptura?". Topoi (Rio de Janeiro) (in Portuguese). 22 (47): 570–575. doi:10.1590/2237-101X02204713. ISSN 1518-3319. S2CID 238849517.
  2. ^ Larrubia, Mariana (1 December 2025). "STF veta possibilidade de candidaturas sem filiação partidária". JOTA Jornalismo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  3. ^ "Número de partidos na Câmara deve cair após ápice da fragmentação em 2018". Poder360 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 24 February 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Brasil tem 75 partidos políticos em processo de formação". Archived from the original on 19 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Brasil vai às urnas em outubro com 35 partidos". Senado Federal (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  6. ^ a b Mali, Tiago (8 July 2023). "Brasil deixa de ter o Legislativo mais fragmentado do mundo". Poder360 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  7. ^ "Contextos competitivos fazem diferença?: o efeito do fim das coligações proporcionais sobre a fragmentação partidária (2016-2020)".
  8. ^ "Saiba o que é uma federação partidária". Justiça Eleitoral (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  9. ^ "G7 dos partidos políticos domina disputa a prefeituras e Congresso e mira 2026". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 27 May 2024. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  10. ^ "PSD se consolida à frente após 2º turno com 887 prefeituras; MDB e PP vêm em seguida". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 27 October 2024. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  11. ^ Fundo Partidário (estudo) Archived 2014-11-29 at the Wayback Machine. Por Miriam Campelo de Melo Amorim. Brasília: Biblioteca Digital da Câmara dos Deputados, outubro de 2005.
  12. ^ "L9504". www.planalto.gov.br. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  13. ^ "De 10 a 90: entenda como são definidos os números dos partidos". CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 6 August 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  14. ^ "Folha de S.Paulo - Eleição em números: História recente explica número dos partidos - 25/09/2000". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  15. ^ "Bancadas atuais da Câmara dos Deputados". Chamber of Deputies. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  16. ^ "Senadores em Exercício". Federal Senate. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Resultado da Eleição". sig.tse.jus.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  18. ^ "O Populismo de Direita no Brasil: Neoliberalismo e Autoritarismo no Governo Bolsonaro".
  19. ^ "Ala vê impacto eleitoral na divisão 'PL raiz' e 'PL bolsonarista'" [Faction sees electoral impact in the division between “old school PL” and “Bolsonarist PL”]. Poder360 (in Portuguese). 16 January 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2025. The PL president has always been used to a more pragmatic party that participates in governments. After Bolsonaro's entry, a large part of the party became more right-wing and inflexible towards some local alliances with parties that have a different ideological vision.
  20. ^ "PL muda estatuto para tentar liderar direita bolsonarista; 'exílio' incomoda partido" [PL changes statute to try to lead the Bolsonarist right; "exile" bothers party]. Estadão (in Portuguese). 3 January 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  21. ^ Berg-Schlosser, Dirk; Kersting, Norbert (28 June 2003). Poverty and Democracy: Self-Help and Political Participation in Third World Cities. Zed Books. ISBN 978-1-84277-205-8.
  22. ^ a b Gentil, Vinicius Miranda (2018). Um lugar ao sol: o Partido Socialismo e Liberdade – PSOL – e novos arranjos políticos da nova esquerda [A place in the sun: the Socialism and Liberty Party – PSOL – and new political arrangements of the new left] (DSocSc thesis) (in Portuguese). Rio de Janeiro: University of the State of Rio de Janeiro. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  23. ^ a b Oliveira, Heythor Santana de (2017). PSOL - Relação da origem no desenvolvimento de sua organização, participação eleitoral e atuação parlamentar [PSOL - Relationship between its origins and the development of its organization, electoral participation and parliamentary action] (MPS thesis) (in Portuguese). São Carlos: Federal University of São Carlos. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  24. ^ Serafini, Mariana (15 December 2022). "Grilo falante: O PSOL quer ser a voz progressista na ampla aliança de apoio ao governo Lula" [A talking cricket: PSOL wants to be the progressive voice in the broad alliance supporting the Lula government]. CartaCapital (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  25. ^ a b Silva, José Benedito da; Siqueira, André (3 January 2020). "Cidadania: o velho 'Partidão' ficou liberal" [Cidadania: the old "Partidão" became liberal]. Veja (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2025. The change is not just cosmetic: the party has abandoned the Marxism-Leninism of the old days and the 'democratic socialism' of the years after the fall of the Berlin Wall to embrace a combination that unites the defense of economic liberalism with a strong progressive discourse in the social area.
    The move is not accidental. In recent months, the party has attracted various political renewal groups such as RenovaBR, Agora!, Livres and Acredito, all guided by a certain humanist liberalism and imbued with the pretension of building an alternative to the polarization between the right, represented by Bolsonaro, and the left, still led by Lula and the PT.
  26. ^ a b Spechoto, Caio (12 August 2021). "Congresso aprova federações partidárias, que socorrem partidos pequenos". Poder360 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  27. ^ "Eleições 2022: Veja como ficam as federações partidárias". CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 May 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  28. ^ "Congresso promulga emenda que extingue coligações em 2020 e cria cláusula de barreira". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 4 October 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  29. ^ "Federações partidárias registradas no TSE". www.tse.jus.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  30. ^ "Bancadas Atuais". www.camara.leg.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  31. ^ "Senadores em Exercício". www25.senado.leg.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  32. ^ "Resultado da Eleição". sig.tse.jus.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2025.
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