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We Can Podemos | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | PODE |
| President | Renata Abreu |
| Secretary-General | Luiz Cláudio França |
| Vice President | Everaldo Pereira |
| Founded | 1 May 1995 |
| Split from | Brazilian Labour Party |
| Headquarters | SHIS QI 9, Conj. 6, Casa 7 – Lago Sul,Brasília,Brazil |
| Think tank | Fundação Podemos |
| Youth wing | Podemos Jovem |
| Women's wing | Podemos Mulher |
| LGBT wing | Podemos Diversidade |
| Black wing | Podemos Afro |
| Membership(2022) | 404,107[1] |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Centre-right |
| Colors | Green Blue |
| Slogan | 'Together we can' |
| TSE Identification Number | 20 (since 2024) 19 (1995–2024) |
| Chamber of Deputies | 15 / 513 |
| Federal Senate | 6 / 81 |
| Website | |
| podemos | |
Podemos (PODE,[poˈdemus],lit. 'We can'), previously known as theNational Labour Party (Portuguese:Partido Trabalhista Nacional,PTN) is acentre-right[6][7]Brazilian political party. Historicallylabourist andJanist,[8][9][10][11] since 2016 the party shifted its focus to supportanti-corruption policies anddirect democracy.[12][11]
Led by the Abreu family (José Masci de Abreu, Dorival de Abreu, and Renata Abreu) since its foundation in 1995, the PTN claimed lineage with the originalNational Labour Party, the party of formerPresident of BrazilJânio Quadros, which was banned in 1965, and his ideology ofJanism. In 2016, PTN changed its name toPodemos (lit. 'We can'), claiming that the inspiration for its name was the slogan ofBarack Obama's campaign slogan "Yes, we can",[13][14] claiming a new program based on greatercitizen participation, transparency in politics, anddirect democracy.[13][14] However, most political scientists classify it as a member of theCentrão, a bloc ofcentrist andcenter-right parties known for their pragmatic alliances and support for the government in exchange for political influence and resources.[15][16] With the change of name and program, Podemos grew rapidly, achieving a large bench of theChamber of Deputies andFederal Senate.[17]
In 2018, the party chose SenatorAlvaro Dias as its candidate for the presidency of Brazil.[18][19][20]
In 2018, theHumanist Party of Solidarity merged into Podemos.[21] In 2022, theSocial Christian Party announced plans to merge into Podemos.[22] In 2023, the merge was approved by theSuperior Electoral Court.[23]
The PTN was founded in May 1995, gaining provisional registration in the same year. In 1996, led by former congressman Dorival de Abreu, the party obtained its definitive registration. After the death of Dorival, the party was led by his brother and former congressman José de Abreu. In thepresidential election of 1998 the PTN chose its secretary-general Thereza Ruiz as its candidate; she obtained 166,053 votes.
In the2014 elections, the PTN elected four congressmen—Bacelar, Renata Abreu (daughter of José de Abreu, and currently the national president of the party), Christiane de Souza Yared and Delegate Edson Moreira—and 14 state deputies. In 2016, several politicians changed their party and some of them joined the PTN, which now has 18 congressmen and 5 senators.[24]
The PTN was the party that had the greatest proportional growth in thelocal elections of 2016.[14]
In December 2016, the then National Labour Party changed its name and was renamed Podemos. Based on research and consulting studies, the organization was renamed inspired in the chant "Yes, we can" from the2008 Barack Obama campaign to the presidency.[25][14][26][27] According to the party's leadership, Podemos was inspired by an international line of movements that propose to listen to people,[28] defend causes of collective interest[11] and together decide the future of the nation,[29] a model that claims to leave the old dispute between left or right and chooses to go forward, every day dividing more the country's decisions with the population.[30] Podemos believes it is the answer to a generation that understands that it is not the youth who does not want to know about politics, but this politics that does not know how to talk to the youth.[31] The leadership of Podemos also understands that the party is part of a society that today is mobilized through causes related to people's daily life, contrary to what they consider as stagnant political parties in outmoded models that seek only to remain in power. Podemos arose in a historical context in which the vast majority of Brazilians have no party preference and do not believe in the old political parties and the old politics.[32]
After the JBS plea bargain, Podemos was the first party to leave the allied base of theMichel Temer government on 18 May 2017, also leaving the party bloc of which it integrated alongsideProgressive (PP) andLabour Party of Brazil (PTdoB) parties and then declaring independence in relation to government.[33] Podemos became represented in the Federal Senate with the affiliation ofAlvaro Dias (exGreen) andRomário, who left theSocial Democratic Party at the end of June.[34] In August, the party received the affiliation of José Medeiros (ex Social Democrat), senator by Mato Grosso. In November, Podemos expelled state congressmen who voted to free Jorge Picciani, the president of Alerj, Paulo Melo and Edson Albertassi from the prison, who were the target of Operação Cadeia Velha.[35] After this episode, Podemos also expelled a congressman that accepted the position of Minister of the Cities in PresidentMichel Temer's cabinet.[36]
In July 2017, the party made an online poll to decide how congresswomanRenata Abreu should vote regarding the complaint of passive corruption against President Temer in the Commission of Constitution and Justice.[37] Later, Podemos made other online polls to decide how their parliament members should vote on welfare reform and the end of legal immunity.[38]
In the2018 general election, Podemos formed a coalition with theSocial Christian Party, theChristian Labour Party and theProgressive Republican Party in support of the candidacy ofAlvaro Dias for president. Dias obtained 859,601 votes (0.80%); the party performed well in parliamentary election, electing 11 deputies and one senator. Dias endorsed Bolsonaro in the second round.[39]
On 21 December 2018, theHumanist Party of Solidarity merged into Podemos, increasing its parliamentary representation to 17 deputies and seven senators and turning Podemos into the third group in the Senate.[40] Podemos later joined Bolsonaro's majority.[41]
According to the party's presidentRenata Abreu, Podemos is not about left and right, but forward, with more democracy to decide the future of the country together.[28] In the classical analysis of the political sciences, Podemos is defined as the center, with liberal proposals in the economy as well as distribution and income, when it comes to social development. This ideology, which is based on defending causes, results in three principles, namely transparency, popular participation and direct democracy, to jointly decide the future of Brazil. In this line, Podemos intends to give voice to people who do not feel represented by the current Brazilian political parties.[42]
Podemos believes that the Brazilian people need to know well who they voted for, what they stand for and their decisions.[43] For Podemos, transparency means the right of the population to know what happens in the country and thus avoid corruption.[3][44] Podemos believes that Brazil needs more popular participation in politics, such as people being part of the governments, in the decisions of their neighborhoods, consultations to help the mayor, suggestions for their cities or collaborating to improve their states and country.[45][42] The party is known for making online consultations on topics under discussion in the Congress and for committing to present projects that have the signature of at least 20,000 voters.[46] For Podemos, a country is made with the participation of the people, day by day, every day.[47] Among the projects and proposals defended in the agenda, the party presented through its president PEC 185-2015, authored by Renata Abreu, which turns to law the right of access to the internet for each Brazilian citizen, guaranteeing access to information and the possibility of participating in decisions.[48] Podemos also believes that the true definition of the word democracy is to gradually share decision making with the people. The party defends more mechanisms ofdirect democracy in Brazil,[45] either throughplebiscites,referendums like the PEC 330/2017 authored by Renata Abreu who proposes that in each election the people can vote in more than candidates, but also in important subjects of interest of most people,[49]popular referendums as advocated by PEC 331/2017, also by congresswoman Renata Abreu, to include in the constitution the right of the people to veto laws that have already been approved,[50] orrecall as proposed by the projects of candidate for the presidencyAlvaro Dias (PEC 37/2016)[51] and Renata Abreu (PEC 332/2017),[52] so that the citizen can participate in the decision making, asserting his right to participate directly in the whole democratic process.[45]
After pastorMarco Feliciano and pastorCabo Daciolo (the latter of whom advocated the transformation of Brazil into atheocracy)[53] entered PODE in 2018, the party shifted toward a moresocial conservative direction, although both would leave a few years later to join other parties.
List of current party leaders including House of Representatives and Senate members:
With policies of more transparency, more participation and direct democracy, Podemos aims to pass new bills, elect new leaders and change the country's political system.[42] Whether with a cause in the streets, new laws in the congress, technology to vote through cell phones or with a name like Alvaro Dias to take over the presidency of the country and rebuild the Republic,[60][61] Podemos proposal is to gradually end the old politics, end privileges and replace the current system marked by corruption.[62] In ten years, the party wants to leave behind a country marked by scandals to transform Brazil into a more correct, fair and transparent nation that truly represents its population.[63]
| Year | Image | Candidate | Vice presidential candidate | Political alliance | Votes | % | Placing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 |  | Thereza Ruiz (PTN) | Eduardo Gomes (PTN) | No coalition | 166,138 | 0.25 | 10th |
| 2018 | _(cropped).jpg) | Alvaro Dias (PODE) | Paulo Rabello de Castro (PSC) | PODE,PSC,PTC,PRP | 859,574 | 0.8 | 9th |
| Election | Chamber of Deputies | Federal Senate | Role in government | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | ||
| 1998 | 64,712 | 0.10% | 0 / 513 | New | 42,042 | 0.07% | 0 / 81 | New | Extra-parliamentary |
| 2002 | 118,471 | 0.14% | 0 / 513 |  0 | 107,122 | 0.07% | 0 / 81 | 0 | Extra-parliamentary |
| 2006 | 149,809 | 0.16% | 0 / 513 | 0 | 11,063 | 0.01% | 0 / 81 | 0 | Extra-parliamentary |
| 2010 | 182,926 | 0.19% | 0 / 513 | 0 | 6,013 | 0.00% | 0 / 81 | 0 | Extra-parliamentary |
| 2014 | 723,182 | 0.74% | 4 / 513 |  4 | 2,741 | 0.00% | 0 / 81 | 0 | Opposition (2014–2016) |
| Independent (2016–2018) | |||||||||
| 2018 | 2,243,320 | 2.28% | 11 / 513 | 7 | 5,494,125 | 3.21% | 5 / 81 | 5 | Independent |
| 2022 | 3,614,581 | 3.28% | 12 / 513 | 1 | 1,776,283 | 1.75% | 6 / 81 | 1 | Opposition (2022–2023) |
| Independent (2023–2024) | |||||||||
| Opposition (2024–present) | |||||||||
Moro is currently working in the private sector, but his name has been floated as a potential presidential contender for the centre-right Podemos party.
The former anti-corruption judge-turned-politician talked about "fighting for Brazill" and "renewing the country's leadership" as he joined the center-right Podemos party
{{cite web}}:|author= has generic name (help)| Preceded by | Numbers of Brazilian Official Political Parties 20 - PODE | Succeeded by |