Brazil’s election for House speaker will happen soon. And be over quickly

One of Brazil’s most consequential events of the year will take place on February 1: the election for House Speaker. This would be an important event in any presidential democracy, where speakers usually determine the legislative agenda (in the case of Brazil, after consulting with party leaders). 

In practice, any president needs the speaker’s support to move forward with his or her policies — or block those that are against their interests. 

In Brazil, the House Speaker election has major implications. In recent decades — and especially during the last four years — Congress has become more powerful, making the speaker a president-like figure in many instances. 

For example: the 2019 pension reform only passed thanks to the personal efforts of then-Speaker Rodrigo Maia, who led the lower house between 2016 and 2021. Then, during the Covid pandemic, Congress took the lead in enacting health and economic policies. It is in the House (and not in the Senate) that the most difficult negotiations happen, making the speaker a position that wields great power.

However contentious...