President of the Republic and federal deputies spend 4 years in office; senators serve an 8-year term
Most Brazilians do not remember which candidates for legislative positions they voted for in the . According to a CNT/MDA survey released on June 16, 60.5% of voters do not remember their votes for congressmen. Read it complete (6.3 MB – PDF).
According to the study, 58.4% of voters intend to renew their vote. As the first round of elections approaches, scheduled for October 4th, understanding the responsibilities of the positions in dispute becomes more relevant.
Although the president of the Republic, senator and federal deputy are elected by popular vote, each position has distinct functions within the structure of the Three Powers. Watch the video and read the differences below.
What does the President of the Republic do?
The President of the Republic commands the federal Executive Branch. The term of office is 4 years, with the possibility of consecutive re-election.
Among the main responsibilities are administering the country, appointing ministers of state, conducting internal and external policy, representing Brazil in and exercise supreme command of .
It is also up to the president to sanction or veto projects approved by the National Congress (Chamber of Deputies and Senate). The president can also issue provisional measures, which come into force immediately, but lose their validity if they are not approved by Congress within 120 days.
What is the National Congress?
Federal legislative power is exercised by the made up of 513 deputies and 81 senators. The main functions of the two Houses are to draft laws and monitor the actions of the federal government.
Congressmen analyze projects presented by the Executive, congressmen and other bodies authorized by the Constitution, in addition to discussing changes to current legislation.
The number of federal deputies per State varies according to the population, respecting a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 70 representatives per federation unit.
Already the It has a fixed composition: there are 3 senators per State and the Federal District, regardless of the size of the population.
What does a federal deputy do?
Federal deputies represent the population of the States and the Federal District in the Chamber. The term of office is 4 years.
Among its duties are proposing bills, voting on proposals, supervising the Executive Branch and analyzing the .
The election for federal deputy is held by the . In this model, the votes given to candidates also contribute to the electoral performance of the party or federation, which defines how many seats each party will have in the Chamber.
What does a senator do?
Senators represent the States and the Federal District in the Federal Senate. Mandates last 8 years and are renewed alternately. In 2026, each State will elect 2 senators, while the only senator elected in 2022 will remain in office until the next election.
In addition to participating in the drafting of laws and reviewing projects approved by the Chamber, senators exercise exclusive powers provided for in the Constitution.
Among the responsibilities are approving nominations for positions such as (Federal Supreme Court), directors of the Central Bank, Attorney General of the Republic and ambassadors.
It is also up to senators to prosecute and judge authorities in cases provided for in the Constitution, such as . They can also set limits for the debt of the Union, States and municipalities.
How is a politician elected?
The elections for president of the Republic and senator follow the . In this model, the candidates with the most votes are elected.
The choice of federal deputies is made using the proportional system, in which the number of seats won by each party or federation depends on the sum of the votes received by their candidates and the party.
Therefore, candidates with significant votes can contribute to the election of other members of the same party.
