Brazil doesn’t need independent candidacies, it needs fewer parties

Brazil’s lower house set up a special committee last week with a view to analyzing a reform proposal which could make drastic changes to the country’s electoral rules. Indeed, if approved by October, the amendments could take effect in the presidential vote next year.

Brazil uses an open-list proportional representation system to elect members of its House of Representatives, but a group of lawmakers are keen on switching to a single non-transferable vote system known locally as the “distritão.” This is not a new movement, and legal specialists have warned of the risks in adopting such a format for lower house votes.

However, while the distritão is garnering all of the attention in this latest electoral reform push, it is not the only problematic proposal under discussion. Part of the rule overhaul would involve permitting independent candidacies in Brazil, previously outlawed.

While the idea of allowing individuals to run for office without party affiliation may sound appealing and representative amid widespread dissatisfaction with mainstream Brazilian politics, the literature suggests the change would not bring about the benefits lawmakers hope for — in fact, it could further weaken Brazil’s already frail political system.

The Mexican Experiment

The argument in favor of independent candidacies claims that politicians going it alone would have less chance of succumbing to the perceived ingrained corruption in Brazil’s established parties. Furthermore, there is a hope that these candidates would be freer to propose innovative legislation and revitalize...