12.07.2015 Views

Download - LSE Theses Online - London School of Economics and ...

Download - LSE Theses Online - London School of Economics and ...

Download - LSE Theses Online - London School of Economics and ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Institutionally, PT’s h<strong>and</strong> was weakened in the policy realm, in spite <strong>of</strong> it becomingthe largest party in the Chamber <strong>of</strong> Deputies (Lower House), with 91 seats out <strong>of</strong> apossible 513. In the Senate (Upper House), it obtained 14 seats out <strong>of</strong> a possible 81.It still needed to form alliances with the centrist parties in order to attain itslegislative goals. Furthermore, PT only won the governorships <strong>of</strong> 3 minor states:Piaui, Acre <strong>and</strong> Mato Grosso do Sul.The Brazilian political system, while characterised by party fragmentation <strong>and</strong> weakparty discipline, was by Lula’s 2002 presidential victory otherwise beginning to showsigns <strong>of</strong> consolidation <strong>and</strong> institutionalisation. 574 In one <strong>of</strong> its first measures ingovernment, PT established the Conselho de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social(CDES)(Council for Economic <strong>and</strong> Social Development) in 2003. This body wouldserve as a consultative organ <strong>of</strong> the Presidency <strong>and</strong> civil society, <strong>and</strong> at the sametime as an institutionalised channel <strong>of</strong> negotiations <strong>of</strong> pacts between different socialactors <strong>and</strong> the government, on the agenda <strong>of</strong> economic, political <strong>and</strong> socialreform. 575 It was initially criticised for the preponderance <strong>of</strong> PT members among itsnumber.In terms <strong>of</strong> economic policy, PT’s h<strong>and</strong>s were tied by undertakings the party hadmade to the Brazilian people (in Lula’s Carta ao Povo Brasileiro) 576 <strong>and</strong> to theinternational financial community prior to taking power, along with agreementssigned with the IMF by Cardoso in the closing months <strong>of</strong> his tenure. 577 Brazilwould be committed to a medium-term framework in terms <strong>of</strong> which IMFfinancing <strong>of</strong> $30bn was secured by the Cardoso government during its last days. 578This framework committed the incoming administration to, amongst others, fiscaldiscipline, a floating exchange rate <strong>and</strong> inflation targeting. This was highly restrictiveto any structural changes mooted by PT in its election manifesto, <strong>and</strong> placed major574 Hunter, “The Normalization <strong>of</strong> an Anomaly”, 457. See also Panizza, “BoringCountry?”.575 Sonia Fleury, ‘O conselho de desenvolvimento economico e social do governo Lula’.(2006).576 Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, “Carta Ao Povo Brasileiro”, São Paulo, 22 June 2002.Accessed online at: http://www2.fpa.org.br/carta-ao-povo-brasileiro-por-luiz-inacio-lulada-silvaon 6 June, 2011.577 Wendy Hunter <strong>and</strong> Timothy J. Power, “Lula’s Brazil at Midterm”, Journal <strong>of</strong>Democracy, 16, No.3, 2005:129.578 The Guardian, “Brazil’s currency soars after IMF lifeline”, 8 August, 2002. Accessedonline at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2002/aug/08/globalrecession2 on 3March, 2011.227

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!