Special election for president of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies in 2016 explained

Election Name:July 2016 President of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil election
Country:Brazil
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2015 President of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil election
Previous Year:2015
Next Election:2017 President of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil election
Next Year:2017
Seats For Election:Needed to Win: Majority of the votes cast
460 votes cast, 231 needed for a majority
Vote Type:Members'
Image1:Rodrigo Maia em agosto de 2017 (cropped).jpg
Candidate1:Rodrigo Maia
Leaders Seat1:Rio de Janeiro
Party1:Democrats (Brazil)
Popular Vote1:285
Image3:Rogério Rosso em 28 de março de 2016 (cropped).jpg
Candidate3:Rogério Rosso
Leaders Seat3:Federal District
Party3:Social Democratic Party (Brazil, 2011)
Popular Vote3:170
President
Before Election:Waldir Maranhão (acting)
Before Party:Progressistas
After Election:Rodrigo Maia
After Party:Democrats (Brazil)

A special election for the position of president of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil took place on July 14, 2016, during the 55th legislature. The election was necessary due to the resignation of Eduardo Cunha, announced on the 7th of that month.[1] According to the Brazilian Constitution, the president of the Chamber of Deputies is the second in line of succession to the Presidency of the Republic (the first being the Vice President).

Elected to the position in February 2015, Cunha decided to resign from office to increase his chances of not being impeached by the full House. He had been removed from his duties as a parliamentarian by the Supreme Federal Court (Superior Tribunal Federal - STF) on May 5, 2016. The STF concluded that Cunha had been using his power to interfere with Operation Car Wash, which was investigating him and his family.

The first round had 13 candidates. Rodrigo Maia (DEM-RJ) received 120 votes, followed by Rogério Rosso (PSD-DF) with 106 and Marcelo Castro (PMDB-PI), who got 70 votes. Another 198 votes were distributed among other ten candidates. As no candidate had reached fifty percent of the valid votes, a second round was held, in which Maia was elected with 285 votes, or 61.54%, and sworn in on the same day.

Context

Eduardo Cunha's mandate and resignation

Deputy Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ) was elected president of the Chamber of Deputies in the first round of the election held in February 2015.[2] During the campaign, he maintained a tone critical of the government and promised that he would maintain independence from the Executive branch, headed by President Dilma Rousseff.[3] The government supported and helped Arlindo Chinaglia (PT-SP), who came in a distant second place.[4] While Cunha got the support of fourteen parties, only four supported Chinaglia.[5]

In early March 2015, Minister Teori Zavascki, of the STF, authorized the opening of an investigation against Cunha as part of Operation Car Wash. The request, sent by Prosecutor of the Republic Rodrigo Janot, argued that the deputy had benefited from the corruption scheme at Petrobras by receiving kickbacks from businessman Júlio Camargo to broker a contract for the lease of a platform vessel. Cunha called the charges "ridiculous" and considered Janot's request a "joke".[6]

While defending himself against the accusations, Cunha did not facilitate the approval of projects of interest to the federal government. In addition, he gave a large space to the opposition in the plenary votes.[7] In June, at the same time that the accusations of Operation Car Wash were accentuated against him, he announced that he would break with the government and, from then on, would be a member of the opposition.[8] As justification for his decision, he accused the Planalto Palace of having articulated with Janot to incriminate him in Operation Car Wash.

In August, Cunha was one of the first parliamentarians to be the target of an indictment offered by the Prosecutor General of the Republic (Procurador-Geral da República - PGR) as a result of the investigations of Operation Car Wash. In the justification of the decision, the Attorney General Office (Advocacia-Geral da União - AGU) stated that it had evidence of criminal involvement of the politician in transactions related to Petrobras.[9] In the following months, new evidence emerged that he kept accounts with undeclared millionaire balances in Switzerland, a fact he had personally denied in the Petrobras Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (Comissão Parlamentar de Inquérito - CPI) in March.[10] [11] [12] [13] [14] In mid-October, Zavascki authorized the opening of an inquiry against Cunha to investigate the legislator's alleged accounts in Switzerland, and deputies from PSOL and REDE requested the cassation of his mandate in the Ethics Council.[15] [16] As the basis for the request, they argued that he had violated parliamentary decorum by lying that he did not have any accounts abroad.[17] [18]

The cassation proceedings against Cunha were instituted in early November 2015.[19] However, using a series of appeals and maneuvers, he managed to delay the proceedings.[20] These maneuvers led Janot to ask the STF for Cunha's removal from office, alleging that the congressman used his power and mandate for illicit purposes, including to obstruct criminal investigations.[21] On December 2, Cunha accepted the opening of impeachment proceedings against Dilma. The acceptance occurred shortly after the PT supporters announced their support for the loss of her mandate, which caused some to consider this an act of revenge. There were also rumors about attempts at an agreement between Cunha and Dilma, in which he would deny admissibility, while the PT supporters would save her mandate in the Ethics Council; both denied the existence of such an agreement.[22] [23] [24] As the process against her advanced with Cunha's support, he gained time and managed to prevent the progress of the impeachment request against him.

In early March 2016, Cunha became the first parliamentarian defendant in Car Wash. Unanimously, the STF found that there was evidence that he had demanded and received bribes.[25] A month later, Cunha led the vote that approved the continuation of Rousseff's impeachment. Breaking the tradition of neutrality of his office, he voted in favor of the request and was the target of numerous criticisms and praises.[26] [27] In the same month, Zavascki authorized the opening of two more investigations against the parliamentarian, both related to suspicions of receiving undue advantages, which his defense denied, as well as claimed that the Swiss accounts were trusts.[28]

On May 5, Zavascki granted a request by Janot and removed Cunha from his duties as federal deputy and president of the Chamber indefinitely - this historic decision was referenced by all STF justices on the same day, who classified it as an exceptional measure.[29] [30] In a press conference, Cunha denied that he would resign and claimed that he was suffering retaliation for the impeachment process.[31] With the STF's decision, there were requests from deputies from various parties for the Chamber to choose a new president.[32] [33] However, deputy Waldir Maranhão (PP-MA) ran the House while Cunha was away. Maranhão was unable to stand up to his other colleagues and isolated himself after his failed attempt to overturn the vote that approved the admissibility of Rousseff's impeachment - although he reversed his decision a few hours later.[34]

On June 14, a few days after the PGR denounced Cunha for the third time to the STF, the Ethics Council approved by eleven to nine the opinion of congressman Marcos Rogério (DEM-RO) recommending Cunha's cassation.[35] [36] On July 7, he announced his resignation as president of the Chamber, although he had stated that he would not do so. Cunha was the first president to resign in the middle of a Congressional term since Severino Cavalcanti in 2005.[37] His decision was influenced by the progress of Operation Car Wash and the inclusion of family members in the allegations. In addition, he also calculated that he would have a better chance of avoiding his impeachment as deputy if he resigned as president.[38] After his departure, he was described as the "most powerful president of the Chamber in recent decades" (Veja) and "the most powerful Chamber president since Ulysses Guimarães" (Época).[39] [40] On the other hand, Cunha was unpopular among public opinion, which mostly defended his resignation (76%) or impeachment (78%).[41] [42]

Importance and benefits of the position

The position was strategic for the country, since the president of the Chamber is the second in line of succession to the Presidency of the Republic. Among his attributions are the power to decide on the opening of impeachment petitions against the President of the Republic, the definition of the agenda of propositions that will be deliberated in the plenary, the admissibility of CPI, the indication of the chairmen and rapporteurs of the commissions that analyze Constitutional Amendment (Emendas Constitucionais - EC) proposals, the administration of an annual budget of 5.2 billion reais, and the leadership of 3.2 thousand civil servants. The incumbent also sits on the National Defense Council and the Council of the Republic.[43] [44] [45]

The function of defining the agenda of the House is the most powerful prerogative that the president of the Chamber has. Although the leaders of the parties are usually consulted about the voting priorities, the parliamentarian can decide on his or her own which topics will or will not go to deliberation in plenary. Therefore, projects of interest to the federal executive branch are only put on the agenda with the endorsement of the incumbent; consequently, he can put on the agenda projects that go against the interests of the presidency, such as the creation of billionaire expenses.[46]

Among the benefits of the position is the fact that its occupant has a residence located on the shores of Paranoá Lake, which has several employees paid by the state, official cars, security apparatus, flights in jets of the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira - FAB) and an annual budget of 4.2 million reais directed to the payment of employees' salaries.[47]

Candidates

Registered

The following deputies have officially registered their candidacies:

Dropouts

The following deputies announced their candidacy, but eventually dropped out:

Election

Waldir Maranhão scheduled the election for July 14, a Wednesday. Registration for candidacies closed at noon on election day. Any of the 513 deputies could run, even if they did not have the support of their party. Candidates had up to one hour before the first round to withdraw. Initially, the first round of voting was to be held at 4 p.m., but ended up being held at 5:30 p.m.[72] [73] To be elected in the first round, a candidate had to obtain fifty percent of the votes, and the presence of at least half of the deputies was required. Voting in the first and second round was conducted in fourteen electronic ballot boxes, with a secret ballot.[74]

Rodrigo Maia got the official support of the PSDB, DEM, PPS, and PSB. Rogério Rosso, a close ally of Cunha, had the support of the "centrão", an informal block that brought together center-right parliamentarians, including PP, PSD, PR, PRB, PSC and PTB.[75] [76]

In the second round, the first candidate gained the support of PDT, PCdoB, PR, and PTN, as well as the vote of some PT congressmen and other left-wing parties, who wanted to avoid Rosso's victory.[77] Maia and Rosso had voted in favor of Rousseff's impeachment and belonged to the ruling base, as well as pleasing the Michel Temer government. Even though they were from the PMDB, the candidacy of Castro, who voted against Rousseff's impeachment and was Minister of Health during Rousseff's second term, angered the Temer government. Because there were chances of Castro going to the second round, the government acted so that the two most voted were Maia and Rosso.[78] On the second round, Maia received 285 votes, against 170 for Rosso. The victory of the deputy from Rio de Janeiro was considered an "anti-Cunha reaction."[79] He was sworn in the same night of the vote for a term that would end in early February 2017.[80]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gonçalves . Carolina . 7 July 2016 . Eduardo Cunha renuncia à Presidência da Câmara . 30 January 2019 . Agência Brasil . pt.
  2. Web site: Matoso . Filipe . Passarinho . Nathalia . February 1, 2015 . Eduardo Cunha é eleito presidente da Câmara em primeiro turno . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  3. Web site: February 1, 2015 . Eduardo Cunha é eleito presidente da Câmara . July 18, 2016 . Época . pt.
  4. Web site: Bragon . Ranier . Falcão . Márcio . Sadi . Andréia . Nery . Natuza . February 1, 2015 . Câmara elege Eduardo Cunha e derrota candidato de Dilma . July 18, 2016 . Folha de S.Paulo . pt.
  5. Web site: Diniz . Fernando . February 1, 2015 . Com 267 votos, Eduardo Cunha é eleito presidente da Câmara . July 18, 2016 . Terra . pt.
  6. Web site: Salomão . Lucas . March 6, 2015 . Saiba quais indícios motivaram investigação de políticos na Lava Jato . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  7. Web site: Ramalho . Renan . July 17, 2016 . Relembre a trajetória de Eduardo Cunha na Câmara dos Deputados . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  8. Web site: Calgaro . Fernando . Passarinho . Nathalia . Salomão . Lucas . July 17, 2016 . Eduardo Cunha anuncia rompimento com o governo e diz que é 'oposição' . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  9. Web site: August 20, 2015 . Entenda a denúncia de Janot contra Eduardo Cunha na Lava Jato . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  10. Web site: Calgaro . Fernanda . 1 October 2015 . Cunha negou em março à CPI da Petrobras ter contas no exterior . 30 January 2019 . G1 . pt.
  11. Web site: Oliveira . Mariana . September 30, 2015 . Suíça envia à PGR informações de suposta conta secreta de Cunha . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  12. Web site: Oliveira . Mariana . Ramalho . Renan . October 15, 2015 . Janot pede ao STF investigação de Cunha por supostas contas na Suíça . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  13. Web site: Netto . Vladimir . October 16, 2015 . Passaporte e assinatura comprovam contas de Eduardo Cunha na Suíça . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  14. Web site: Passarinho . Nathalia . Calgaro . Fernanda . March 12, 2015 . Na CPI da Petrobras, Cunha recebe elogios de governistas e da oposição . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  15. Web site: Passarinho . Nathalia . 1 June 2016 . Relator pede cassação de Eduardo Cunha no Conselho de Ética . 30 January 2019 . G1 . pt.
  16. Web site: Amorim . Felipe . Prazeres . Leandro . 12 September 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados cassa mandato de Eduardo Cunha . 30 January 2019 . Uol . pt.
  17. Web site: Oliveira . Mariana . October 15, 2015 . Ministro do Supremo autoriza novo inquérito para investigar Cunha . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  18. Web site: Calgaro . Fernanda . October 13, 2015 . PSOL e Rede acionam Conselho de Ética contra Eduardo Cunha . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  19. Web site: Passarinho . Nathalia . November 3, 2015 . Conselho de Ética instaura processo para investigar Eduardo Cunha . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  20. Web site: December 10, 2015 . Conselho já teve 6 adiamentos no processo de Cunha; entenda . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  21. Web site: December 16, 2015 . Janot pede afastamento de Cunha . July 18, 2016 . Carta Capital . pt.
  22. Web site: December 2, 2015 . Dilma diz estar "indignada" com pedido de impeachment . July 18, 2016 . Uol . pt.
  23. Web site: December 6, 2015 . Para especialistas, impeachment dependerá do futuro de Cunha . July 18, 2016 . Terra . pt.
  24. Web site: Passarinho . Nathalia . Ramalho . Renan . March 3, 2016 . Por 10 votos a 0, STF decide aceitar denúncia, e Eduardo Cunha vira réu . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  25. Web site: April 3, 2016 . Eduardo Cunha rompe tradição do cargo e decide votar no impeachment . July 18, 2016 . Jornal do Brasil . pt.
  26. Web site: April 17, 2016 . Câmara aprova prosseguimento do processo de impeachment no Senado . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  27. Web site: Ramalho . Renan . April 25, 2016 . Teori autoriza abertura de mais duas investigações sobre Eduardo Cunha . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  28. Web site: Ramalho . Renan . April 25, 2016 . Teori autoriza abertura de mais duas investigações sobre Eduardo Cunha . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  29. Web site: Oliveira . Mariana . Ramalho . Renan . May 5, 2016 . Ministro do STF afasta Cunha do mandato e da presidência da Câmara . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  30. Web site: Passarinho . Nathalia . Ramalho . Renan . May 5, 2016 . Supremo suspende mandato e afasta Cunha da presidência da Câmara . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  31. Web site: Matoso . Filipe . May 5, 2016 . Cunha fala em 'intervenção' do STF e diz que recorrerá de afastamento . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  32. Web site: May 6, 2016 . Após afastamento de Cunha, siglas já articulam nova eleição na Câmara . July 18, 2016 . Folha de S.Paulo . pt.
  33. Web site: Álvares . Débora . Bragon . Ranier . May 5, 2016 . Aliados e 'centrão' levam a Temer proposta para sucessão de Cunha . July 18, 2016 . Folha de S. Paulo . pt.
  34. Web site: July 13, 2016 . Rodrigo Maia derrota candidato de Temer e é eleito presidente da Câmara . July 18, 2016 . iG Último Segundo . pt.
  35. Web site: Oliveira . Mariana . June 10, 2016 . PGR faz terceira denúncia contra Eduardo Cunha na Lava Jato . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  36. Web site: Passarinho . Nathalia . Calgaro . Fernanda . June 14, 2016 . Por 11 a 9, Conselho de Ética aprova parecer pela cassação de Cunha . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  37. Web site: 21 September 2005 . Severino Cavalcanti renuncia ao mandato e diz que voltará . 30 January 2019 . Folha de S. Paulo . pt.
  38. Web site: July 8, 2016 . Colunistas do GLOBO analisam a renúncia de Cunha e sua tentativa de salvar mandato . July 18, 2016 . O Globo . pt.
  39. Web site: Campos . João Pedroso de . July 13, 2016 . Câmara escolhe hoje sucessor de Eduardo Cunha . July 18, 2016 . Veja . pt.
  40. Web site: Rizzo . Alana . Costa . Ana Clara . Fernandes . Talita . July 8, 2016 . Cunha sai do jogo. E agora? . July 18, 2016 . Época . pt.
  41. Web site: April 18, 2016 . Eduardo Cunha pode ser afastado do cargo de presidente da câmara . July 18, 2016 . O Dia . pt.
  42. Web site: February 29, 2016 . 76% defendem renúncia de Eduardo Cunha, diz pesquisa Datafolha . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  43. Web site: Jade . Líria . January 30, 2015 . Saiba o que faz o presidente da Câmara dos Deputados . July 18, 2016 . EBC . pt.
  44. Web site: Prazeres . Leandro . January 19, 2015 . Veja sete motivos para ficar de olho na eleição do presidente da Câmara . July 18, 2016 . UOL Notícias . pt.
  45. Web site: Costa . Fabiano . Salomão . Lucas . July 11, 2016 . O que está em jogo na eleição para a presidência da Câmara . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  46. Web site: Calgaro . Fernanda . Passarinho . Nathalia . July 14, 2016 . Rodrigo Maia vence Rosso no 2º turno e é eleito presidente da Câmara . July 18, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  47. Web site: Prazeres . Leandro . January 27, 2015 . Casa, carro e 47 funcionários: conheça os benefícios do presidente da Câmara . July 18, 2016 . UOL Notícias . pt.
  48. Web site: Carlos Henrique Gaguim . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  49. Web site: Carlos Manato . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  50. Web site: Cristiane Brasil . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  51. Web site: Esperidião Amin . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  52. Web site: Evair de Melo . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  53. Web site: Fábio Ramalho . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  54. Web site: Giacobo . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  55. Web site: Luiza Erundina . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  56. Web site: Marcelo Castro . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  57. Web site: Miro Teixeira . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  58. Web site: Rodrigo Maia . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  59. Web site: Rogério Rosso . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  60. Web site: Orlando Silva . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  61. Web site: Beto Mansur . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  62. Web site: Garcia . Gustavo . July 13, 2016 . Em favor de Rosso, Mansur retira candidatura à presidência da Câmara . July 19, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  63. Web site: Fausto Pinato . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  64. Web site: Garcia . Gustavo . Calgaro . Fernanda . July 13, 2016 . Pinato desiste de concorrer, e eleição da Câmara terá 14 candidatos . July 19, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  65. Web site: Gilberto Nascimento . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  66. Web site: Garcia . Gustavo . Calgaro . Fernanda . July 13, 2016 . Gilberto Nascimento desiste de candidatura e declara apoio a Rosso . July 19, 2016 . IstoÉ . pt.
  67. Web site: Heráclito Fortes . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  68. Web site: Júlio Delgado . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  69. Web site: Resende . Thiago . Di Cunto . Raphael . July 13, 2016 . Júlio Delgado desiste de concorrer à presidência da Câmara pelo PSB . July 19, 2016 . Valor Econômico . pt.
  70. Web site: Maria do Rosário . July 19, 2016 . Câmara dos Deputados . pt.
  71. Web site: July 13, 2016 . Com 14 candidatos, eleição para presidência da Câmara é antecipada para as 17h30min . July 19, 2016 . IstoÉ . pt.
  72. Web site: July 14, 2016 . Rodrigo Maia vence e ocupará presidência da Câmara dos Deputados . July 19, 2016 . El País . pt.
  73. Web site: July 13, 2016 . Saiba como será a eleição do novo presidente da Câmara . July 19, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  74. Web site: Martins . Raphael . July 14, 2016 . Rodrigo Maia é eleito presidente da Câmara dos Deputados . July 19, 2016 . Exame . pt.
  75. Web site: Passarinho . Nathalia . Calgaro . Fernanda . July 13, 2016 . Eleição na Câmara terá 2º turno entre Rodrigo Maia e Rogério Rosso . July 19, 2016 . G1 . pt.
  76. Web site: July 13, 2016 . O que é o poderoso centrão, que pode definir o sucessor de Cunha . July 19, 2016 . Terra . pt.
  77. Web site: July 14, 2016 . Aliado de Temer, Rodrigo Maia é eleito presidente da Câmara dos Deputados . July 19, 2016 . Terra . pt.
  78. Web site: July 14, 2016 . Rodrigo Maia é eleito novo presidente da Câmara . July 19, 2016 . CartaCapital . pt.
  79. Web site: Schreiber . Mariana . July 14, 2016 . Em reação anti-Cunha, Câmara elege Rodrigo Maia presidente . July 19, 2016 . Terra . pt.
  80. Web site: Martins . Raphael . July 14, 2016 . Rodrigo Maia chora e diz que tentará presidir a Câmara com 'simplicidade' . July 19, 2016 . G1 . pt.

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