Federal Senate

Federal Senate
Senado Federal
55th Legislature of the National Congress
Coat of arms or logo
Logo
Type
Type
Term limits
 None
History
Founded May 6, 1826 (1826-05-06)
New session started
 February 1, 2017 (2017-02-01)
Leadership
Eunício Oliveira, MDB
Since 1 February 2017
Government Leader
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Structure
Seats 81
Political groups

Government (43)

  •      MDB (18)
  •      PP (6)
  •      DEM (5)
  •      PR (4)
  •      PSD (5)
  •      PRB (2)
  •      PTB (2)
  •      PPS (1)

Opposition (17)

  •      PT (9)
  •      PSB (3)
  •      PDT (3)
  •      PCdoB (1)
  •      REDE (1)

Independent (21)

Length of term
 8 years
Elections
Plurality voting, alternating every four years between single-member elections (FPTP) and dual-member elections (block voting)
Last election
 October 5, 2014
Next election
 October 7, 2018
Meeting place
Senate plenary chamber
National Congress building
Brasília, Federal District, Brazil
Website
http://www.senado.gov.br
Brazil
This article is part of a series on the
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Foreign relations

The Federal Senate (Portuguese: Senado Federal) is the upper house of the National Congress of Brazil. Created by the first Constitution of the Brazilian Empire in 1824, it was initially similar to the United Kingdom's House of Lords.[1] Since the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889 the Federal Senate has resembled the United States Senate.

Currently, the Senate comprises 81 seats. Three Senators from each of the 26 states and three Senators from the Federal District are elected on a majority basis to serve eight-year terms. Elections are staggered so that two-thirds of the upper house is up for election at one time and the remaining one-third four years later. When one seat is up for election in each State, each voter casts one vote for the Senate; when two seats are up for election, each voter casts two votes, and the voter cannot give his two votes for the same candidate, but, in elections for the renewal of two-thirds of the Senate, each party can present two candidates for election. The candidate in each State and the Federal District (or the first two candidates, when two thirds of the seats are up for election) who achieve the greatest plurality of votes are elected.

The current president of the Brazilian Senate is Eunício Oliveira, from the Brazilian Democratic Movement of Ceará. He was elected in early 2017 for a two-year term.

History

Conde dos Arcos Palace, seat of the Imperial Senate in Rio de Janeiro, then Brazil's capital
Monroe Palace, second seat of the Senate
The Federal Senate in the National Congress building in Brasília, capital city of Brazil since 1960
Exterior view of the Senate chamber

The Federal Senate of Brazil was established as the Senate of the Empire by the Constitution of 1824, first enacted after the Declaration of Independence.

Following independence, in 1822, Emperor Pedro I ordered the convocation of a National Assembly to draft the country's first Constitution. Following several disagreements with the elected deputies (which included representatives from present-day Uruguay, then part of the Brazilian Empire under the name of Província Cisplatina), the Emperor dissolved the Assembly. In 1824, Pedro I implemented the first Constitution which established a Legislative branch with the Chamber of Deputies as the lower house, and the Senate as an upper house.

The first configuration of the Senate was a consulting body to the Emperor. Membership was for life and it was a place of great prestige, to which only a small part of the population could aspire.

Members of the Senate were elected, but they had to be at least 40 years old and have an annual income of 800,000 contos-de-réis, which limited candidates to wealthy citizens. Voters also faced an income qualification. Voting in an election for the Senate was limited to male citizens with an annual income of at least 200,000 contos-de-réis. Those who qualified for this did not vote directly for Senators; instead, they voted for candidates to be Senate electors. To be a Senate elector required an annual income of 400,000 contos-de-réis. Once elected, these electors would then vote for senator. The election itself would not result in a winner automatically. The three candidates receiving the most votes would make up what was called a "triple list", from which the Emperor would select one individual that would be considered "elected". The Emperor usually chose the candidate with the most votes, but it was within his discretion to select whichever of the three individuals listed. The unelected Princes of the Brazilian Imperial House were senators by right and would assume their seats in the Senate upon reaching age 25.

The original Senate had 50 members, representing all of the Empire's Provinces, each with a number of senators proportional to its population.

Following the adoption of the 1824 Constitution the first session of the Senate took place in May 1826. The Emperor had repeatedly delayed calling the first election, which had led to accusations that he would attempt to establish an absolutist government.

Currently, the Senate comprises 81 seats. Three Senators from each of the 26 states and three Senators from the Federal District are elected on a majority basis to serve eight-year terms. Elections are staggered so that two-thirds of the upper house is up for election at one time and the remaining one-third four years later. When one seat is up for election in each State, each voter casts one vote for the Senate; when two seats are up for election, each voter casts two votes, and the voter cannot give his two votes for the same candidate, but, in elections for the renewal of two-thirds of the Senate, each party can present two candidates for election. The candidate in each State and the Federal District (or the first two candidates, when two thirds of the seats are up for election) who achieve the greatest plurality of votes are elected.

Director Board

The current composition of the Board of the Federal Senate is as follows:

Office Name Party State
President Eunício Oliveira MDB Ceará
1st Vice-President Cassio Cunha Lima PSDB Paraíba
2nd Vice-President João Alberto Souza MDB Maranhão
1st Secretary José Pimentel PT Ceará
2nd Secretary Gladson Cameli PP Acre
3rd Secretary Antônio Carlos Valadares PSB Sergipe
4th Secretary Zeze Perrella MDB Minas Gerais
1st Substitute Eduardo Amorim PSDB Sergipe
2nd Substitute Sérgio Petecão PSD Acre
3rd Substitute Davi Alcolumbre DEM Amapá
4th Substitute Cidinho Santos PR Mato Grosso

Composition and leaderships

The current composition[2] of the House (55th Legislature) is as follows:

Party Senators Leader/Representative Position
MDB 19 Simone Tebet Government
PSDB 12 Paulo Bauer Independent
PT 9 Lindbergh Farias Opposition
PP 7 Benedito de Lira Government
PSB 4 Antônio Carlos Valadares Opposition
PSD 4 Omar Aziz Government
DEM 4 Ronaldo Caiado Government
PR 4 Vicentinho Alves Government
PDT 3 Acir Gurgacz Opposition
PODE 3 Álvaro Dias Independent
PRB 2 Eduardo Lopes Government
PTB 2 Armando Monteiro Government
Independent 2 José Reguffe Independent
PPS 1 Cristovam Buarque Government
PROS 1 Hélio José Independent
PRTB 1 Pastor Bel Independent
PTC 1 Fernando Collor de Mello Government
PCdoB 1 Vanessa Grazziotin Opposition
REDE 1 Randolfe Rodrigues Opposition

Permanent Committees

Committee President State
Committee of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform Ivo Cassol Rondônia
Committee of Economic Issues Tasso Jereissati Ceará
Committee of Social Issues Marta Suplicy São Paulo
Committee of Science, Technology, Innovation, Communication and Informatic Otto Alencar Bahia
Committee of Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Antônio Anastasia (acting) Minas Gerais
Committee of Regional Development and Tourism Fátima Bezerra Rio Grande do Norte
Committee of Human Rights and Participative Legislation Regina Sousa Piauí
Committee of Education, Culture and Sport Lúcia Vânia Goiás
Committee of Environment, Consumer Defense, Fiscalization and Control Davi Alcolumbre Amapá
Committee of Foreign Affairs and National Defense Fernando Collor Alagoas
Committee of Infrastructure Services Eduardo Braga Amazonas
Committee of Transparence and Public Governance Ataídes Oliveira Tocantins
Committee Senate of the Future Hélio José Distrito Federal

Current Senators

Federative Unit Senator Party Birth city Term Notes Term Month Day Year
Acre Gladson Cameli PP Cruzeiro do Sul, AC 2015-2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Jorge Viana PT Rio Branco, AC 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Sérgio Petecão PSD Rio Branco, AC 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Alagoas Fernando Collor PTC Rio de Janeiro, RJ 2007–2023 Re-elected. February 1, 2007-January 31, 2023
Benedito de Lira PP Junqueiro, AL 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Renan Calheiros MDB Murici, AL 2003–2019 February 1, 2003-January 31, 2019
Amapá João Capiberibe PSB Afuá, PA 2003–2019 Re-elected. February 1, 2003-April 28, 2004; October 28, 2005-October 14, 2010; November 29, 2011-January 31, 2019
Davi Alcolumbre DEM Macapá, AP 2015-2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Randolfe Rodrigues REDE Garanhuns, PE 2011–2019 Elected by PSOL, left the party to join REDE when the latter was sanctioned as an official political party in September 2015.[3] February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Amazonas Eduardo Braga MDB Belem, PA 2011-2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Omar Aziz PSD São Paulo, SP 2015-2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Vanessa Grazziotin PCdoB Videira, SC 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Bahia Roberto Muniz PP Salvador, BA 2011–2019 Substitute of Walter Pinheiro June 7, 2016-January 31, 2019
Lídice da Mata PSB Cachoeira, BA 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Otto Alencar PSD Bahia 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Ceará Tasso Jereissati PSDB Fortaleza, CE 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
José Pimentel PT Picos, PI 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Eunício Oliveira MDB Lavras da Mangabeira, CE 2011–2019 President of the Senate February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Distrito Federal Reguffe Independent Rio de Janeiro, RJ 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Cristovam Buarque PPS Recife, PE 2011–2019 Re-elected as a member of PDT, left the party to join PPS on February 17, 2016.[4] February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Hélio José PROS Corumbá de Goiás, GO 2015–2023 Substitute of Rodrigo Rollenberg. February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Espírito Santo Magno Malta PR Itapetinga, BA 2003-2019 Re-elected. February 1, 2003-January 31, 2019
Ricardo Ferraço PSDB Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, ES 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Rose de Freitas MDB Caratinga, MG 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Goiás Wilder Morais PP Taquaral de Goiás, GO 2012–2019 Replaced Demóstenes Torres, removed from office for breach of parliamentary ethics. July 13, 2012-January 31, 2019
Lúcia Vânia PSB Cumari, GO 2003–2019 Re-elected. February 1, 2003-January 31, 2019
Ronaldo Caiado DEM Anápolis, GO 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Maranhão João Alberto Souza MDB João Pessoa, PB 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Roberto Rocha PSB São Vicente Ferrer, MA 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Pastor Bel PRTB Brasília, DF 2011–2019 Temporary substitute of Edison Lobão. February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Mato Grosso Wellington Fagundes PR Rondonópolis, MT 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Cidinho Santos PR Janiópolis, PR 2011–2019 May 15, 2016-January 31, 2019
José Medeiros PODE Caicó, RN 2011–2019 Substitute of Pedro Taques. Elected as a member of the PPS, switched to PSD in March 2016 and to PODE in August 2017. February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Mato Grosso do Sul Pedro Chaves PRB Campo Grande, MS 2016–2019 Substitute of Delcídio Amaral, removed from office on May 10, 2016, on account of "breach of parliamentary decorum."[5] May 17, 2016-January 31 2019
Simone Tebet MDB Três Lagoas, MS 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Waldemir Moka MDB Cáceres, MT 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Minas Gerais Aécio Neves PSDB Belo Horizonte, MG 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Antonio Anastasia PSDB Belo Horizonte, MG 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Zezé Perrella MDB São Gonçalo do Pará, MG 2011–2019 Substitute of Itamar Franco, deceased. Left PDT to join PTB in March 2016.[6] Joins MDB in January 2017.[7] July 3, 2011-January 31, 2019
Pará Flexa Ribeiro PSDB Belém, PA 2003–2019 Re-elected. February 1, 2003-January 31, 2019
Jader Barbalho MDB Belém, PA 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Paulo Rocha PT Curuçá, PA 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Paraíba Cássio Cunha Lima PSDB Campina Grande, PB 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
José Maranhão MDB Araruna, PB 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Raimundo Lira Independent Cajazeiras, PB 2014–2019 Substitute of Vital do Rego Filho, appointed member of the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), taking office on December 17, 2014.[8] December 22, 2014-January 31, 2019
Paraná Álvaro Dias PODE Quatá, SP 2015-2023 Elected as a member of PSDB, switched to PV on January 8, 2016 and to PODE in July 2017.[9][10] February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Gleisi Hoffmann PT Curitiba, PR 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Roberto Requião MDB Curitiba, PR 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Pernambuco Fernando Bezerra Coelho MDB Petrolina, PE 2015–2023 Elected as a member of the PSB, switched to PMDB in September 2017. February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Humberto Costa PT Campinas, SP 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Armando Monteiro PTB Recife, PE 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Piauí Ciro Nogueira PP Teresina, PI 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Elmano Férrer MDB Lavras da Mangabeira, CE 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Regina Sousa PT União, PI 2011–2019 Substitute of Wellington Dias February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Rio de Janeiro Romário PODE Rio de Janeiro, RJ 2015-2023 Elected as a member of the PSB, switched to PODE in July 2017.[10] February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Eduardo Lopes PRB Rio de Janeiro, RJ 2003–2019 Substitute of Marcelo Crivella, who resigned to assume office as mayor of Rio de Janeiro. January 1, 2017-January 31, 2019
Lindberg Farias PT João Pessoa, PB 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Rio Grande do Norte Garibaldi Alves Filho MDB Rio Grande do Norte 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
José Agripino DEM Mossoró, RN 1995–2019 Re-elected. February 1, 1995-January 31, 2019
Fátima Bezerra PT Nova Palmeira, PR 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Rio Grande do Sul Paulo Paim PT Caxias do Sul, RS 2003–2019 Re-elected. February 1, 2003-January 31, 2019
Lasier Martins PSD General Câmara, RS 2015–2023 Elected as member of the PDT, left the party in December 2016.[11] Joined PSD in January 2017.[12] February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Ana Amélia Lemos PP Lagoa Vermelha, RS 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Rondônia Acir Gurgacz PDT Cascavel, PR 2009–2023 Re-elected. February 1, 2009-January 31, 2023
Ivo Cassol PP Concórdia, SC 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Valdir Raupp MDB São João do Sul, SC 2003–2019 Re-elected. February 1, 2003-January 31, 2019
Roraima Angela Portela PT Coreaú, CE 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Telmário Mota PTB Santa Quitéria, CE 2015–2023 Elected as member of the PDT, was kicked of the party in January 2017.[13] Joined the PTB in February 2017.[14] December 15, 2016-January 31, 2023
Romero Jucá MDB Recife, PE 1995–2019 Re-elected. February 1, 1995-January 31, 2019
Santa Catarina Dalírio Beber PSDB Massaranduba, SC 2011–2019 Substitute of Luiz Henrique da Silveira, deceased. February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Paulo Bauer PSDB Blumenau, SC 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Dário Berger MDB Bom Retiro, SC 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
São Paulo Airton Sandoval MDB Itirapuã, SP 2011–2019 Substitute of Aloysio Nunes, who assumed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[15] March 9, 2017-January 31, 2019
José Serra PSDB São Paulo, SP 2015–2023 February 1, 2015-January 31, 2023
Marta Suplicy MDB São Paulo, SP 2011–2019 Elected as a member of PT, left the party on April 28, 2015.[16] Joined PMDB in September 2015.[17] February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Sergipe Eduardo Amorim PSC Itabaiana, SE 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019
Antônio Carlos Valadares PSB Simão Dias, SE 1995–2019 Re-elected. February 1, 1995-January 31, 2019
Maria do Carmo Alves DEM SE 1999–2023 February 1, 1999-January 31, 2023
Tocantins Ataídes Oliveira PSDB Estrela do Norte, GO 2013–2019 Substitute of João Ribeiro, deceased on December 18, 2013.[18] Originally a member of PROS, he switched to PSDB on December 11, 2014.[19] December 23, 2013-January 31, 2019
Kátia Abreu PDT Goiânia, Goiás, 2007-2023 February 1, 2007-January 31, 2023
Vicentinho Alves PR Porto Nacional, TO 2011–2019 February 1, 2011-January 31, 2019

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ "Senado Federal completa hoje 185 anos". R7 (in Portuguese). 6 May 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2012. O Senado Federal foi criado com a primeira Constituição do Império, outorgada em 1824, inspirado, primeiramente, na Câmara dos Lordes da Grã-Bretanha. Sua primeira reunião ocorreu em 6 de maio de 1826. .
    2. ↑ "Lideranças e Bancadas - 55ª Legislatura" (in Portuguese). Senado Federal. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
    3. ↑ http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/poder/2015/09/1687557-apos-deixar-psol-senador-randolfe-rodrigues-anuncia-filiacao-a-rede.shtml
    4. ↑ http://g1.globo.com/politica/noticia/2016/02/senador-cristovam-buarque-anuncia-saida-do-pdt-para-se-filiar-ao-pps.html
    5. ↑ "Senado aprova perda de mandato de Delcídio do Amaral" (in Portuguese). Senado Federal. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
    6. ↑ Maurício Lima (20 April 2016). "PDT manda carta ameaçando expulsar senador do PTB" (in Portuguese). Radar On-Line. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
    7. ↑ Juliana Cipriani (1 February 2017). "Zeze Perrella se filia ao PMDB e bancada na Assembleia de MG contesta". O Estado de Minas. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
    8. ↑ http://www.pbagora.com.br/conteudo.php?id=20141216164302&cat=paraiba&keys=senador-vital-rego-deve-tomar-posse-tcu-nesta-raimundo-lira-assume-senado
    9. ↑ Pacheco, Paula (8 January 2016). "Álvaro Dias troca PSDB pelo PV e vai aumentar artilharia contra o governo" (in Portuguese). Último Segundo. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
    10. 1 2 Freitas, Carolina (29 June 2017). "Senadores Romário e Álvaro Dias se filiam ao Podemos, antigo PTN" (in Portuguese). Valor Econômico. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
    11. ↑ Ilimar Franco (21 December 2016). "Ameaçado por Lupi, senador Lasier deixa o PDT" (in Portuguese). O Globo. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
    12. ↑ Gustavo Garcia (24 January 2017). "Após deixar PDT, senador Lasier Martins anuncia filiação ao PSD" (in Portuguese). G1. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
    13. ↑ "Cúpula do PDT decide expulsar senador que votou a favor da PEC do teto" (in Portuguese). G1. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
    14. ↑ "Senador Telmário Mota se filia ao PTB e assume o partido em Roraima" (in Portuguese). PTB 14. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
    15. ↑ Pedro Venceslau (2 March 2017). ""Quercista" histórico, Airton Sandoval, do PMDB, assume vaga de Aloysio Nunes no Senado" (in Portuguese). Estadão. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
    16. ↑ http://g1.globo.com/jornal-nacional/noticia/2015/04/senadora-marta-suplicy-deixa-o-pt-depois-de-33-anos-de-filiacao.html
    17. ↑ http://g1.globo.com/politica/noticia/2015/09/em-evento-em-sao-paulo-marta-suplicy-se-filia-ao-pmdb.html
    18. ↑ Edson Sardinha (18 December 2013). "Morre o senador João Ribeiro, do Tocantins" (in Portuguese). Congresso em Foco. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
    19. ↑ Marcos Martins (11 December 2014). "Senador Ataídes Oliveira troca de partido para ser oposição ao governo" (in Portuguese). G1. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
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