Parliamentary Professionalization and Campaign Finance: an analysis of the Chamber of Deputies (2006–2018)

Abstract

Recent changes in Brazil’s electoral finance system, particularly the ban on corporate donations in 2015 and the creation of the Special Campaign Finance Fund (FEFC) in 2017, have reshaped how campaign resources are allocated. Although parties became the main actors in resource distribution, inequalities in campaign financing persist. This article examines the relationship between parliamentary professionalization and electoral fundraising in Brazil, focusing on federal deputies elected between 2006 and 2018 who ran for re-election. To measure professionalization, we propose the Parliamentary Professionalization Index (IPP), which includes two dimensions: i) legislative specialization, assessed by participation in leadership and committee positions; and ii) parliamentary career, measured through time in office, accumulated mandates at different levels, and subsequent career choices. Using data from the Chamber of Deputies and the Electoral Court, we apply regression models to test whether more professionalized deputies raise higher campaign revenues. Results show that professionalization was positively associated with campaign fundraising in earlier electoral cycles, but its impact declined substantially after 2018, when public funding became predominant. These findings suggest that political expertise is no longer decisive in parties’ allocation of campaign resources, highlighting a reconfiguration of electoral strategies under the new funding system.