Workers' Party (Brazil)
The Workers' Party (Portuguese: Partido dos Trabalhadores; abbreviated PT) is a center-left[2][3] to left-wing[4][5] Brazilian political party. Founded in 10 February 1980, it is one of the largest and most important left-leaning movements in Latin America.[6] In 2022, the party had 1,602,361 members,[7] being the second largest political party in Brazil, only behind the Brazilian Democratic Movement. Along with the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), its historical opponent, PT was the largest party that emerged from the fight for democratization of Brazil during the military dictatorship.
Workers' Party Partido dos Trabalhadores | |
|---|---|
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| Abbreviation | PT |
| Founded | 10 February 1980 |
| Legalised | 11 February 1982 |
| Headquarters | São Paulo and Brasília |
| Newspaper | Focus Brasil |
| Think tank | Fundação Perseu Abramo |
| Youth wing | Juventude do PT |
| Membership (2024) | 1,604,168[1] |
| Ideology | Social democracy Left-wing populism |
| Political position | Centre-left to left-wing |
| Regional affiliation | São Paulo Forum COPPPAL |
| International affiliation | Progressive Alliance |
| Colors | Red |
| TSE identification number | 13 |
| Party flag | |
.png) | |
| Website | |
| pt | |
Historically democratic socialist,[8] since the 2000s the party follows social-democratic principles[9] and maintains a populist stance centered on Lula's image (something called "Lulism").[9][10][11] Internally, it has Cristian left, socialist, and Third Way factions. Its support mainly comes from lower-class workers, civil servants, Catholics, and artists. Its members and sympathizers are colloquially called "petistas".
In 2003, with Lula becoming President, the party began to command the Brazilian Executive for the first time. Lula was re-elected in 2006, finishing his term as the best approved President of all time, with a world record of 87% approval.[12] He was succeeded by Dilma Rousseff in 2011.
Dilma was re-elected in 2014 by a narrow margin[13] despite the party's unpopularity caused by an economic crises and corruption scandals. She left the presidency in August 2016, after a request for impeachment was approved by the National Congress due to budget operations not foreseen in legislation during her administration.[14] In 2022, Lula was elected to a third term, becoming the first Brazilian President to win an election three times.[15]
History overview
changeThe Workers' Party was founded in 1980, during the military dictatorship (1964-1985). Its founders included trade unionists, intellectuals, left-wing activists, and members of social movements.
The party was born with a strong left-wing ideological base, defending principles such as participatory democracy, social justice, labour rights, and agrarian reform. Its foundation was a response to the need for a political alternative during the dictatorship, representing the interests of workers and marginalized sectors of society.
The party grew quickly. In the 1982 municipal elections, it won several important mayorships. In 1986, it elected its first federal and state deputies.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (better known as Lula), a former metalworker and union leader, emerged as a prominent figure in the party. His charismatic leadership and mobilization capacity contributed significantly to the party growth. He ran for president in 1989, 1994, 1998 and was finally elected in 2002.
During PT governments, mainly under Lula (2003-2010), Brazil experienced significant changes. Social programs such as Bolsa Família, the increase in the minimum wage, and social inclusion policies were implemented, contributing to the reduction of poverty.
During mid 2000s and 2010s, PT faced a series of challenges, including corruption scandals that damaged its reputation. Mensalão, in 2005, and Operation Car Wash, from 2014, resulted in investigations and convictions of party members, including Lula. These events had a significant impact on PT's image and popularity.
After Dilma's impeachment in 2016, the party become opposition for the first time after 13 years as government. It tried to regain power in the 2018 presidential elections, but its nominee, Fernando Haddad, lost to Jair Bolsonaro, who since became PT's main opponent.
In 2022, with Lula's release ordered by the Superior Federal Court (STF), the party had him as presidential candidate and won. Since 2023, the party controls federal government.
Electoral history
changePresidential elections
change| Election | Candidate | Running mate | Coalition | First round | Second round | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |||||
| 1989 | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) | José Paulo Bisol (PSB) | PT; PSB; PCdoB | 11,622,673 | 16.1% (#2) | 31,076,364 | 47.0% (#2) | Lost 
|
| 1994 | Aloizio Mercadante (PT) | PT; PSB; PCdoB; PPS; PV; PSTU | 17,122,127 | 27.0% (#2) | – | – | Lost
| |
| 1998 | Leonel Brizola (PDT) | PT; PDT; PSB; PCdoB; PCB | 21,475,211 | 31.7% (#2) | – | – | Lost
| |
| 2002 | José Alencar (PL) | PT; PL; PCdoB; PMN; PCB | 39,455,233 | 46.4% (#1) | 52,793,364 | 61.3% (#1) | Elected 
| |
| 2006 | José Alencar (PRB) | PT; PRB; PCdoB | 46,662,365 | 48.6% (#1) | 58,295,042 | 60.8% (#1) | Elected
| |
| 2010 | Dilma Rousseff (PT) | Michel Temer (PMDB) | PT; PMDB; PR; PSB; PDT; PCdoB; PSC; PRB; PTC; PTN | 47,651,434 | 46.9% (#1) | 55,752,529 | 56.1% (#1) | Elected
|
| 2014 | PT; PMDB; PSD; PP; PR; PDT; PRB; PROS; PCdoB | 43,267,668 | 41.6% (#1) | 54,501,118 | 51.6% (#1) | Elected
| ||
| 2018 | Fernando Haddad (PT) | Manuela d'Ávila (PCdoB) | PT; PCdoB; PROS | 31,341,997 | 29.3% (#2) | 47,040,380 | 44.8% (#2) | Lost
|
| 2022 | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) | Geraldo Alckmin (PSB) | PT; PCdoB; PV; PSOL; REDE; PSB; Solidariedade; Avante; Agir | 57,259,405 | 48.4% (#1) | 60,325,504 | 50.9% (#1) | Elected
|
| Source: Election Resources: Federal Elections in Brazil – Results Lookup | ||||||||
Chamber of Deputies and Senate elections
change| Election | Chamber of Deputies | Federal Senate | Status | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | ||
| 1982 | 1,458,719 | 3.5 | 8 / 479
|
 8
|
1,538,786 | 3.6 | 0 / 25
|
|
Opposition |
| 1986 | 3,253,999 | 6.9 | 16 / 487
|
8
|
– | – | 0 / 49
|
|
Opposition |
| 1990 | 4,128,052 | 10.2 | 35 / 502
|
19
|
– | – | 1 / 31
|
1
|
Opposition |
| 1994 | 5,959,854 | 13.1 | 49 / 513
|
14
|
13,198,319 | 13.8 | 4 / 54
|
3
|
Opposition |
| 1998 | 8,786,528 | 13.2 | 58 / 513
|
9
|
11,392,662 | 18.4 | 7 / 81
|
3
|
Opposition |
| 2002 | 16,094,080 | 18.4 | 91 / 513
|
33
|
32,739,665 | 21.3 | 14 / 81
|
7
|
Coalition |
| 2006 | 13,989,859 | 15.0 | 83 / 513
|
 8
|
16,222,159 | 19.2 | 10 / 81
|
4
|
Coalition |
| 2010 | 16,289,199 | 16.9 | 88 / 513
|
5
|
39,410,141 | 23.1 | 15 / 81
|
5
|
Coalition |
| 2014 | 13,554,166 | 14.0 | 68 / 513
|
20
|
15,155,818 | 17.0 | 12 / 81
|
3
|
Coalition (2014–2016) |
| Opposition (2016–2018) | |||||||||
| 2018 | 10,126,611 | 10.3 | 56 / 513
|
12
|
24,785,670 | 14.5 | 6 / 81
|
6
|
Opposition |
| 2022 | 15,354,125[a] | 13.9 | 69 / 513
|
13
|
12,456,553 | 12.2 | 9 / 81
|
3
|
Coalition |
| Sources: Georgetown University, Election Resources, Rio de Janeiro State University | |||||||||
- ↑ Votes obtained as part of Brazil of Hope coalition.
References
change- ↑ "Filiação Partidária da Eleição | Estatística de Filiação" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Superior Electoral Court. 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2024.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ Gallas, Daniel (29 March 2016). "Dilma Rousseff and Brazil face up to decisive month". BBC News. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
- ↑ ""Dilma é muito mais de esquerda do que eu", afirma Lula" [“Dilma is much more leftist than me”, says Lula]. Jornal O Sul (in Brazilian Portuguese). 20 January 2016. Archived from the original on 1 December 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ↑ The demise of Brazil’s great centrist party. The Economist. Published 1 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
- ↑ Khan, Shehab (14 November 2018). Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right president-elect accused of campaign funding irregularities. The Independent. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
- ↑ da Silva Neto, Antonio Artequilino (2020). Sindicatos dos Trabalhadores Bancários: Formações Discursivas em Concorrência (in Portuguese). 1 ed. Curitiba: Appris.
- ↑ "Filiação Partidária da Eleição | Estatística de Filiação" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Superior Electoral Court. 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2024.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "Manifesto aprovado na reunião do Sion". Fundação Perseu Abramo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 25 August 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Samuels, David (November 2004). "From Socialism to Social Democracy: Party Organization and the Transformation of the Workers' Party in Brazil". Comparative Political Studies. 37 (9): 999–1024. doi:10.1177/0010414004268856. ISSN 0010-4140.
- ↑ Mendes, Marques Áquilas; Maria, Rosa (2006). "O Social no Governo Lula: a construção de um novo populismo em tempos de aplicação de uma agenda neoliberal". Revista de Economia Política (in Brazilian Portuguese): 70.
- ↑ Oliveira, Merilyn Escobar de (2008). Sob o signo do "novo sindicalismo": das mudanças de identidade e de estratégia, na trajetória do PT e da CUT, à consolidação do populismo sindical no Governo Lula (in Brazilian Portuguese). São Paulo: Pontifícia Universidade Católica. pp. 28–31, 105.
- ↑ "Recorde de aprovação a Lula é mundial, diz CNT/Sensus". Estadão (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-04-16.
- ↑ Benites, Afonso (2014-10-26). "Dilma derrota Aécio na eleição mais disputada dos últimos 25 anos". El País Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-04-16.
- ↑ Garcia, Gustavo (2016-08-31). "Senado aprova impeachment, Dilma perde mandato e Temer assume". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-04-16.
- ↑ "Apuração da Eleição 2022 para Presidente: veja o resultado". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-04-16.