Que elite é essa? uma análise sobre os congressistas do PT, PSDB, PMDB e PFL/DEM nos levantamentos do DIAP (1995/2010)

Abstract

his work aims at investigating the careers of members of congress associated with PT, PSDB, PMDB and PFL/DEM who were referred to as The “Cabeças” (“masterminds”) of the Brazilian National Congress by the Inter-Union Parliamentary Advisory Department (Departamento Intersindical de Assessoria Parlamentar, DIAP) between 1995 and 2010. The main hypothesis is that the members of the legislative authority elite have social, political, and experience traits that make them different from other members of congress. No relevant social differences between the “Cabeças” and other members of congress were identified. The political hypothesis was partially confirmed. The members of the legislative elite were found to change teams less often. They also occupy more party leadership positions in the national summit of parties. Experience was identified as a major trait of the “Cabeças”. This study’s main conclusion is that the members of the legislative elite spend more career time in the National Congress than other members. The “Cabeças” associated with parties opposed to the president are more often classified as debaters by DIAP. Those associated with parties that make for the support base are more often classified by the department as articulators/organizers and formulators. In the final segment of this thesis, the profiles of politicians (PT, PSDB, PMDB e PFL/DEM) who appeared 10 times or more in DIAP’s surveys between 1995 and 2010 were analyzed. Thirty “Cabeças” were identified in this specific segment of the congress elite. Most members represent Northeast states, are college professors, and have relatives in politics. Public life experience and the long period dedicated to the Congress were identified as even more important traits shared by this select group. These findings allow for a better understanding of the factors that make a member part of the National Congress elite, which proves individual aspects (competence, expertise, flexibility) and party-related (size of party section) are not the only influencing a member’s success. Being part of the governing group increases the chances of a member’s success in the legislative authority. These findings highlight the importance of executive authority over legislative authority, as well as the attractiveness of presidential coalition.