Women in Brazilian Politics: Understanding Informal Practices, Strategies, and Gender Representation

This research aims to explore informal and illegal practices within Brazilian political parties, specifically focusing on women candidates for federal deputy positions. Based on responses from 47 self-declared Black female candidates in the 2018 general elections, gathered through a questionnaire, revelations highlighted practices such as 'women sacrificial lambs' or 'phantom candidates.' In the context of campaign financing, it is crucial to note that Brazil's public campaign funding is the responsibility of the party to distribute. In the 2018 elections, a law mandated parties to proportionally distribute the received funds among women candidates. To guide electoral campaigns, it's essential to understand the electoral process in Brazil, where elections occur every two years, alternating between general and municipal elections. Most offices have 4-year terms, except for the Senate, where politicians serve 8-year terms, with 1 or 2 senators elected per general election. Except for the presidential position, all other offices in general elections have territorial ties and are voted on a state level. Since 1993, there are 513 members in the Chamber of Deputies and 81 in the Federal Senate. Consequently, parties play a crucial role by presenting internally defined candidate lists. However, Brazil faces significant challenges in terms of women's underrepresentation, currently ranking lowest in the IPU's Latin American index and maintaining one of the lowest global representations. We will explore persistent barriers hindering effective female inclusion in Brazilian politics, despite various electoral law changes. Thus, we will highlight how the aforementioned informal and illegal practices intertwine with challenges faced during the electoral process, emphasizing the quest for solutions and the importance of integrity to strengthen female political participation. Given the ongoing nature of this research, definitive conclusions are not yet possible. Nevertheless, this study aims to contribute significantly to the ongoing discourse on electoral integrity and the inclusion of women in Brazilian politics.