Prime Minister of Brazil
Encyclopedia
During two periods in the political history of Brazil
was a parliamentary system of Government put in place, with a prime minister
heading the Cabinet.
The first parliamentary system was created by Emperor Pedro II and was maintained for the last forty two years of the imperial period.
The second occasion in which a parliamentary system was put in place was during the administration of President João Goulart in 1961, due to a constitutional amendment passed by his opponents before his inauguration. The experience of parliamentary government was very brief, as the system of presidential government was restored in a referendum in 1963.
Officially, the title of the Prime Minister was President of the Council of Ministers and he was referred to by the press and the people as President of the Cabinet. Often, the title President of the Council, a shortened version of the official style, was also employed.
The written Constitution of the Brazilian Empire did not require the Emperor to appoint a prime minister; nor did it provide for a parliamentary system of government, instead vesting the Executive authority in the Emperor himself, and stipulating that the Emperor was to be aided by ministers that he was free to appoint and dismiss. However, Emperor Pedro II decided to appoint a president of the Council among his ministers, to lead the workings of the Government. He also chose to create a sort of parliamentary government, whereby the prime minister would be someone who could command a majority in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower House of the Brazilian Imperial Parliament, known as General Assembly. Therefore, even without being required by the Constitution, the Emperor started to exercise his authority in a manner compatible with parliamentary government, only appointing as prime minister someone who could retain parliamentary support, etc.
However, the emperor didn't become a figurehead monarch like other heads of State in a parliamentary system. The prime minister needed to retain the political confidence both of a majority of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Emperor, who actively scrutinized the workings of the Government. Sometimes the Emperor would dissolve the Chamber of Deputies and summon new elections (a power he possessed under the Constitution), or dismiss the prime minister, due to his own political beliefs about the efficiency of the Government. Thus, the Emperor would often dismiss a prime minister, and then appoint someone else from the same party. All this led to a succession of short-lived Cabinets. The emperor retained decision-making powers with regard to the signature or veto of bills passed by Parliament, and would not always abide by the advice of his ministers. And that was seen as normal given that the monarch wasn't required by the Constitution to reign in a parliamentary system, and the establishment of one was only a limited and voluntary decision of Pedro II.
Therefore, the parliamentary system voluntarily established by Emperor Pedro II wasn't identical to the standard of a parliamentary government with a Head of State that reigns but does not govern, given that the Emperor retained part of the control over the daily affairs of his government.
Thus, the parliamentary system that was put in place in the reign of Pedro II can be termed a semi-imperial Government, and can be compared to the political system of some republics, such as France, that are governed under a semi-presidential system
, in which the Head of State has more than just the customary reserve powers, but there is also a prime minister who needs to maintain the confidence of Parliament in order to retain his office.
This co-existence of a Head of State with real powers and influence with a prime minister responsible before Parliament was dubbed by many Brazilian political scientists as parlamentarismo às avessas (backwards parliamentarism), a criticism corresponding to their view that, in the parliamentary system created by Emperor Pedro II, the Chamber of Deputies was the weaker party, and the survival of the Cabinet depended more on the confidence of the Emperor than in that of Parliament.
Shortcomings in party loyalty, with members of Parliament and groups of members rooting for their own interests and not always abiding by the directives of the party leadership also contributed greatly to short-lived Cabinets. Indeed, it was very common for Prime Ministers to be replaced due to lack of support from his party's backbenchers, causing the Prime Minister to be replaced with somebody else from the same party, during the same Parliament.
During the forty-nine years of Pedro II's personal reign, from 1840 until 1889 there were sixteen parliamentary elections (eleven provoked by the dissolution of Parliament by the Emperor at the Prime Minister's request, with the summoning of new elections, and five others provoked by the expiration of the term of office of the members of the Chamber of Deputies). This means that, on average, each legislature of the Chamber of Deputies had a life span slightly superior to three years. However, in the forty two years between the creation of the office of Prime Minister in 1847 and its abolition in 1889, there were thirty two appointments to the presidency of the Council, which means that prime ministerships lasted on average a little more than a year and four months. Certain politicians, however, like the Duke of Caxias, the Viscount, later Marquis of Olinda, and Zacarias Góis e Vasconcellos managed to regain the prime ministership after having lost it. The three men above mentioned have in common the fact that each of them served three times as President of the Council.
The president of the Council owed his position to both his party's majority in the Legislature (and to his party's willingness to support him in the Chamber) and to the Emperor and these two sources of authority (parliamentary backing and imperial appointment) could sometimes come into conflict. 19th century abolitionist leader and historian Joaquim Nabuco said that the "President of the Council in Brazil was no Russian Chancellor, Sovereign's creature, nor a British Prime Minister, made only by the trust of the Commons: the delegation of the Crown was to him as necessary and important as the delegation of the Chamber, and, to exert with safety his functions, he had to dominate the caprice, the oscillations and ambitions of the Parliament, as well as to preserve always unalterable the favor, the good will of the Emperor."
The position of prime minister was abolished with the deposition of the monarchy in 1889.
João Goulart
.
The parliamentary system was adopted in 1961 as a compromise solution to a grave political crisis, and was again abolished, this time by plebiscite, in January 1963.
The official title of the head of the Government during that period was President of the Council of Ministers, the same official title possessed by the 19th century prime ministers of the Brazilian Empire. However, the holders of the office were informally addressed and referred to as Premier or Prime Minister. Often, the expression President of the Council, a simplifyed version of the official title, was also used.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
was a parliamentary system of Government put in place, with a prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
heading the Cabinet.
The first parliamentary system was created by Emperor Pedro II and was maintained for the last forty two years of the imperial period.
The second occasion in which a parliamentary system was put in place was during the administration of President João Goulart in 1961, due to a constitutional amendment passed by his opponents before his inauguration. The experience of parliamentary government was very brief, as the system of presidential government was restored in a referendum in 1963.
President of the Council of Ministers of the Brazilian Empire (1847–1889)
The political position of Prime Minister of Brazil existed during the era of the Empire of Brazil, first being created in 1847, during the reign of Dom Pedro II.Officially, the title of the Prime Minister was President of the Council of Ministers and he was referred to by the press and the people as President of the Cabinet. Often, the title President of the Council, a shortened version of the official style, was also employed.
The written Constitution of the Brazilian Empire did not require the Emperor to appoint a prime minister; nor did it provide for a parliamentary system of government, instead vesting the Executive authority in the Emperor himself, and stipulating that the Emperor was to be aided by ministers that he was free to appoint and dismiss. However, Emperor Pedro II decided to appoint a president of the Council among his ministers, to lead the workings of the Government. He also chose to create a sort of parliamentary government, whereby the prime minister would be someone who could command a majority in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower House of the Brazilian Imperial Parliament, known as General Assembly. Therefore, even without being required by the Constitution, the Emperor started to exercise his authority in a manner compatible with parliamentary government, only appointing as prime minister someone who could retain parliamentary support, etc.
However, the emperor didn't become a figurehead monarch like other heads of State in a parliamentary system. The prime minister needed to retain the political confidence both of a majority of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Emperor, who actively scrutinized the workings of the Government. Sometimes the Emperor would dissolve the Chamber of Deputies and summon new elections (a power he possessed under the Constitution), or dismiss the prime minister, due to his own political beliefs about the efficiency of the Government. Thus, the Emperor would often dismiss a prime minister, and then appoint someone else from the same party. All this led to a succession of short-lived Cabinets. The emperor retained decision-making powers with regard to the signature or veto of bills passed by Parliament, and would not always abide by the advice of his ministers. And that was seen as normal given that the monarch wasn't required by the Constitution to reign in a parliamentary system, and the establishment of one was only a limited and voluntary decision of Pedro II.
Therefore, the parliamentary system voluntarily established by Emperor Pedro II wasn't identical to the standard of a parliamentary government with a Head of State that reigns but does not govern, given that the Emperor retained part of the control over the daily affairs of his government.
Thus, the parliamentary system that was put in place in the reign of Pedro II can be termed a semi-imperial Government, and can be compared to the political system of some republics, such as France, that are governed under a semi-presidential system
Semi-presidential system
The semi-presidential system is a system of government in which a president and a prime minister are both active participants in the day-to-day administration of the state...
, in which the Head of State has more than just the customary reserve powers, but there is also a prime minister who needs to maintain the confidence of Parliament in order to retain his office.
This co-existence of a Head of State with real powers and influence with a prime minister responsible before Parliament was dubbed by many Brazilian political scientists as parlamentarismo às avessas (backwards parliamentarism), a criticism corresponding to their view that, in the parliamentary system created by Emperor Pedro II, the Chamber of Deputies was the weaker party, and the survival of the Cabinet depended more on the confidence of the Emperor than in that of Parliament.
Shortcomings in party loyalty, with members of Parliament and groups of members rooting for their own interests and not always abiding by the directives of the party leadership also contributed greatly to short-lived Cabinets. Indeed, it was very common for Prime Ministers to be replaced due to lack of support from his party's backbenchers, causing the Prime Minister to be replaced with somebody else from the same party, during the same Parliament.
During the forty-nine years of Pedro II's personal reign, from 1840 until 1889 there were sixteen parliamentary elections (eleven provoked by the dissolution of Parliament by the Emperor at the Prime Minister's request, with the summoning of new elections, and five others provoked by the expiration of the term of office of the members of the Chamber of Deputies). This means that, on average, each legislature of the Chamber of Deputies had a life span slightly superior to three years. However, in the forty two years between the creation of the office of Prime Minister in 1847 and its abolition in 1889, there were thirty two appointments to the presidency of the Council, which means that prime ministerships lasted on average a little more than a year and four months. Certain politicians, however, like the Duke of Caxias, the Viscount, later Marquis of Olinda, and Zacarias Góis e Vasconcellos managed to regain the prime ministership after having lost it. The three men above mentioned have in common the fact that each of them served three times as President of the Council.
The president of the Council owed his position to both his party's majority in the Legislature (and to his party's willingness to support him in the Chamber) and to the Emperor and these two sources of authority (parliamentary backing and imperial appointment) could sometimes come into conflict. 19th century abolitionist leader and historian Joaquim Nabuco said that the "President of the Council in Brazil was no Russian Chancellor, Sovereign's creature, nor a British Prime Minister, made only by the trust of the Commons: the delegation of the Crown was to him as necessary and important as the delegation of the Chamber, and, to exert with safety his functions, he had to dominate the caprice, the oscillations and ambitions of the Parliament, as well as to preserve always unalterable the favor, the good will of the Emperor."
The position of prime minister was abolished with the deposition of the monarchy in 1889.
List of Presidents of the Council of Ministers of the Empire of Brazil
| Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Viscount of Caravelas Manuel Alves Branco, 2nd Viscount of Caravelas Manuel Alves Branco, the 2nd Viscount of Caravelas was a Brazilian politician and monarchist during the period of the Empire of Brazil .... |
22 August 1847 | 8 March 1848 | Liberal Party Liberal Party (Brazil) The Liberal Party was a conservative political party of Brazil, merged in the Republic Party. The Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus had been taking part in Brazilian elections through PL, but the church has now partially left it to create a new centrist party named Partido Republicano Brasileiro... |
| Viscount of Macaé | 8 March 1848 | 31 March 1848 | Liberal Party |
| Francisco de Paula Sousa e Melo | 31 March 1848 | 29 September 1848 | Liberal Party |
| Viscount, later Marquis of Olinda | 29 September 1848 | 8 October 1849 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Marquis of Monte Alegre | 8 October 1849 | 11 May 1852 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Viscount of Itaborai | 11 May 1852 | 6 September 1853 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Marquis of Paraná | 6 September 1853 | 3 September 1856 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Duke of Caxias Luís Alves de Lima e Silva Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias , nicknamed "the Peacemaker" and "Iron Duke", was an army officer, politician and monarchist of the Empire of Brazil. Caxias pursued a military career, as had his father and many relatives before him. In 1823, he fought as a young officer during most of... (then Marquis) |
3 September 1856 | 4 May 1857 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Marquis of Olinda | 4 May 1857 | 12 December 1858 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Viscount of Abaete | 12 December 1858 | 10 August 1859 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Baron of Uruguaiana | 10 August 1859 | 2 March 1861 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Duke of Caxias Luís Alves de Lima e Silva Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias , nicknamed "the Peacemaker" and "Iron Duke", was an army officer, politician and monarchist of the Empire of Brazil. Caxias pursued a military career, as had his father and many relatives before him. In 1823, he fought as a young officer during most of... (then Marquis) |
2 March 1861 | 24 May 1862 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Zacarias de Góis e Vasconcelos | 24 May 1862 | 30 May 1862 | Progressive League Progressive League The Progressive League was a British organisation for social reform, founded in 1932 by HG Wells and C.E.M. Joad under the title "Federation of Progressive Societies and Individuals" .-The "Great Conway Hall Plot":... |
| Marquis of Olinda | 30 May 1862 | 15 January 1864 | Progressive League Progressive League The Progressive League was a British organisation for social reform, founded in 1932 by HG Wells and C.E.M. Joad under the title "Federation of Progressive Societies and Individuals" .-The "Great Conway Hall Plot":... |
| Zacarias de Góis e Vasconcelos | 15 January 1864 | 31 August 1864 | Progressive League Progressive League The Progressive League was a British organisation for social reform, founded in 1932 by HG Wells and C.E.M. Joad under the title "Federation of Progressive Societies and Individuals" .-The "Great Conway Hall Plot":... |
| Francisco José Furtado | 31 August 1864 | 12 May 1865 | Liberal Party |
| Marquis of Olinda | 12 May 1865 | 3 August 1866 | Liberal Party |
| Zacarias de Góis e Vasconcelos | 3 August 1866 | 16 July 1868 | Liberal Party |
| Viscount of Itaborai | 16 July 1868 | 29 September 1870 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Viscount, later Marquis of São Vicente | 29 September 1870 | 7 March 1871 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Viscount of Rio Branco | 7 March 1871 | 25 June 1875 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Duke of Caxias Luís Alves de Lima e Silva Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias , nicknamed "the Peacemaker" and "Iron Duke", was an army officer, politician and monarchist of the Empire of Brazil. Caxias pursued a military career, as had his father and many relatives before him. In 1823, he fought as a young officer during most of... |
25 June 1875 | 5 January 1878 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Viscount of Sinimbu | 5 January 1878 | 28 March 1880 | Liberal Party |
| José Antônio Saraiva José Antônio Saraiva José Antônio Saraiva, also known as Counsellor Saraiva , was a politician, diplomat and lawyer during the period of the Empire of Brazil .... |
28 March 1880 | 21 January 1882 | Liberal Party |
| Martinho Alvares da Silva Campos | 21 January 1882 | 3 July 1883 | Liberal Party |
| Viscount, later Marquis of Paranagua | 3 July 1882 | 24 May 1883 | Liberal Party |
| Lafayette Rodrigues Pereira | 24 May 1883 | 6 June 1884 | Liberal Party |
| Manuel Pinto de Sousa Dantas | 6 June 1884 | 6 May 1885 | Liberal Party |
| José Antônio Saraiva José Antônio Saraiva José Antônio Saraiva, also known as Counsellor Saraiva , was a politician, diplomat and lawyer during the period of the Empire of Brazil .... |
6 May 1885 | 20 August 1885 | Liberal Party |
| Baron of Cotegipe João Maurício Wanderley João Maurício Vanderlei, first and only baron of Cotejipe , was a magistrate and Brazilian politician of the Conservative Party.... |
20 August 1885 | 10 March 1888 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| João Alfredo Correia de Oliveira | 10 March 1888 | 7 June 1889 | Conservative Party Conservative Party (Brazil) The Conservative Party was a Brazilian political party of the imperial period, which was formed circa 1836 and ended with the proclamation of the Republic in 1889... |
| Viscount of Ouro Preto | 7 June 1889 | 15 November 1889 | Liberal Party |
President of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Brazil (1961–1963)
After the coup d'état that abolished the monarchy and proclaimed Brazil a Republic, the system of parliamentary government was not retained. The new Republic instead adopted the model of a presidential Executive, except for a brief period (September 8, 1961 to January 23, 1963) during the presidency of PresidentPresident of Brazil
The president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces...
João Goulart
João Goulart
João Belchior Marques Goulart was a Brazilian politician and the 24th President of Brazil until a military coup d'état deposed him on April 1, 1964. He is considered to have been the last left-wing President of the country until Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office in 2003.-Name:João Goulart is...
.
The parliamentary system was adopted in 1961 as a compromise solution to a grave political crisis, and was again abolished, this time by plebiscite, in January 1963.
The official title of the head of the Government during that period was President of the Council of Ministers, the same official title possessed by the 19th century prime ministers of the Brazilian Empire. However, the holders of the office were informally addressed and referred to as Premier or Prime Minister. Often, the expression President of the Council, a simplifyed version of the official title, was also used.
List of Prime Ministers of the Republic of Brazil
| Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tancredo de Almeida Neves | 8 September 1961 | 12 July 1962 | Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party (Brazil) The Social Democratic Party was a liberal political party in Brazil between 1945 and 1965. Founded as a center-right party by Getúlio Vargas together with the left-leaning Brazilian Labour Party, it elected Presidents Eurico Gaspar Dutra in 1945 and Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira in 1955... |
| Francisco de Paula Brochado da Rocha | 12 July 1962 | 18 September 1962 | Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party (Brazil) The Social Democratic Party was a liberal political party in Brazil between 1945 and 1965. Founded as a center-right party by Getúlio Vargas together with the left-leaning Brazilian Labour Party, it elected Presidents Eurico Gaspar Dutra in 1945 and Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira in 1955... |
| Hermes Lima Hermes Lima Hermes Lima was a former Prime Minister of Brazil, jurist, and winner of the 1975 Prêmio Machado de Assis.- Political career :... |
18 September 1962 | 23 January 1963 | Brazilian Socialist Party Brazilian Socialist Party The Brazilian Socialist Party , is a political party in Brazil. It was founded in 1947, before being abolished by the military regime in 1965 and re-organized in 1985 with the re-democratization of Brazil. It elected six Governors in 2010, becoming the second largest party in number of state... |
See also
- List of Brazilian monarchs
- President of BrazilPresident of BrazilThe president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces...
- List of Presidents of Brazil