Tabata Amaral and the weakening of Brazilian political parties

Last week, Brazil’s Supreme Electoral Court ruled that congresswoman Tabata Amaral could leave the Democratic Labor Party (PDT) without losing her office in the House of Representatives. Two years ago, the PDT punished Ms. Amaral for voting against the party on a sweeping pension reform bill. She claimed the sanctions were unfair, thus believing she had the right to change parties without being penalized.

Now, Ms. Amaral has gotten her way. 

However, the court’s decision could have detrimental effects on the strength of Brazilian political parties in both the congressional and electoral spheres. 

The PDT v. Tabata Amaral

In 2019, the PDT established a party line against the pension reform. When it came to the final vote in the House, Ms. Amaral — who joined the party on the eve of the registration deadline ahead of the 2018 elections — rebelled and showed her support for the government’s proposal.

She was duly suspended from legislative activities for 90 days, stripped of her role as deputy whip, and banned from participating in committee meetings and floor votes.

Ms. Amaral, 27, cut her teeth in politics outside of the party system. She is a cofounder of Movimento Acredito, a nationwide congressional renewal movement housing young politicians affiliated to a number of different parties. Ciro Gomes, the PDT’s presidential candidate in 2018, called the movement a “clandestine political party” and claimed Ms. Amaral was working as a double agent within the PDT.

After...