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Opinion: Brazil’s Continuing Institutional Problem

Opinion, by Michael Royster

RIBEIRÃO PRETO, BRAZIL – Three years ago, the Curmudgeon published a comment describing Brazil's biggest problem: the 1988 Constitution created an essentially parliamentary system with institutional features that hinder governance under a presidential system.

That continues to be the case, as President Bolsonaro is now, to his chagrin, discovering.

For starters, there are dozens of registered political parties, none of which stands for anything other than getting elected and feeding at the public trough. A barely comprehensible “party coefficient” electoral system ensures most legislators do not represent anyone except themselves.

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