The effect of the end of coalitions in proportional elections on the composition of the Chamber of Deputies elected in 2022

Abstract

The 2022 elections were the first, since democratization, in which parties were prohibited from forming coalitions for Chamber of Deputies. The article assesses the impact of this change on the composition on the Chamber of Deputies. The first section shows the main characteristics of the proportional representation model used in Brazil. The following section summarizes the changes brought about by the electoral reforms of 2017 and 2021. The third section analyzes the evolution of some indicators of party representation, taking “party federation” as the unit of analysis; the number of parties that present candidates; the number of parties that elected deputies; electoral and parliamentary party fragmentation. All indicators show that there has been a significant reduction in the number of parties represented and in party fragmentation; this reduction is observed in all states. The article shows that the end of coalitions played a decisive role in the reconfiguration of the Brazilian party system.