Acâmara municipal (Portuguese pronunciation:[ˈkɐmɐɾɐmunisiˈpal], meaning literallymunicipal chamber and often referred ascâmara de vereadores or simply ascâmara) is a type ofmunicipal governing body, existing in several countries of theCommunity of Portuguese Language Countries.
InPortugal,Cape Verde,Guinea Bissau andTimor-Leste, acâmara municipal is theexecutive body of amunicipality. InBrazil, it is thelegislature of a municipality.São Tome and Príncipe has similarcâmaras distritais (district chambers), which are the executive bodies of the districts (municipalities).
In all these countries, the members of acâmara are known asvereadores (aldermen).
The Braziliancâmaras municipais orcâmaras de vereadores have their origin in the municipal administration model inherited from Portugal. However, while the Portuguesecâmaras evolved towards becoming executive bodies, in Brazil they evolved towards becoming thelegislative bodies of themunicipalities, especially after the creation of theprefeituras municipais (municipalprefectures) in the 1930s. In Brazil, the executive municipal power is now vested in theprefeituras municipais, each headed by theprefeito (mayor).
Eachcâmara is composed of a number of electedvereadores.
Its members (vereadores, aldermen) are elected by theHondt method, serve year-round and are paid.The president of a Municipal Chamber is the head of the most-voted list. TheCâmara Municipal has an odd number of aldermen (from five to thirteen), determined by the number of registered voters within the municipality, with the exceptions ofLisbon (fixed at 17 aldermen) andPorto (15 aldermen).
The term can also refer to the building where the Municipal Chamber offices are located, i.e., theCity Hall, although it is more properly termedPaços do Concelho (literally, the "Palace of theConcelho").
A Câmara municipal is anexecutive body of a municipal, a level higher than theJunta de freguesia.Thelegislature equivalent of Câmara municipal is theAssembleia Municipal.
