Authors:

Silvio Cascione and Suely Mara Vaz Guimarães de Araújo

Abstract:

The objective of this article is to propose new methods for measuring the size and degree of institutionalization of thematic parliamentary fronts in order to investigate their role in building coalitions in the National Congress. The research started from the premise that, to replace parties in forming a governing base in the Legislature, parliamentary fronts need many members and a minimum of organization to interfere consistently and predictably in votes. The problem, however, is the lack of reliable data on the size and degree of institutionalization of these groups. Materials and Methods: Two methods were used to fill this gap. To measure the size of the parliamentary fronts, a survey was conducted where the deputies and senators themselves could declare their participation in these groups. To measure the degree of institutionalization, an index was proposed, based on the literature on political parties, in which the survey data were combined with interviews with a representative and non-random sample of 20 parliamentary fronts. Results: The research demonstrated that parliamentary fronts are significantly smaller than they appear to be based on the only publicly available information, the list of signatures for formal registration in the Chamber of Deputies. With the exception of the Mixed Parliamentary Front for Agriculture, the thematic fronts bring together no more than a few dozen parliamentarians and have a relatively low degree of institutionalization. Discussion: The data support the view, prevalent in the literature, of the predominantly informative and symbolic role of parliamentary fronts. Although they may have influence at certain times in the legislative process, they do not seem to meet the minimum conditions to support a governing coalition. The evidence presented also allows for improving the typological classification of parliamentary fronts, noting the existence of thematic groups with practically no organization, of a merely symbolic nature, and others with very small areas of activity.