Campaign funding model is narrowing the presidencial race

After Operation Car Wash unveiled how all major Brazilian parties relied on illegal campaign donations from major corporations (and repaid them with hefty government contracts), the Supreme Court in September 2015 banned corporate donations. Since then, parties have (at least officially) exclusively relied on individual donations and on a publicly-financed electoral fund.

In 2022, the fund will amount to BRL 4.9 billion (USD 1 billion), split among parties according to representation in the House.

Banning corporate donations was supposed to keep interest groups from having an illegitimate influence on politicians. Instead, it granted enormous powers to party leaders — many of which act as de facto owners of their political families. And it has shifted priorities for parties.

Before the ban, having a presidential candidate would allow parties to get private donations and enlarge the funds at their disposal — which trickled down to congressional races. Now, a presidential candidate is a competitor for finite resources. 

“A presidential hopeful is now expensive for...