The 2014 Elections and the Brazilian Party System

The Brazilian party system presents a paradox. Although the Workers Party (PT) and the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB) have controlled presidential elections for the last 20 years, their force at the other levels of electoral competition has not grown. The objective of this study is to undertake a discussion of this situation through the 2014 general elections. After attempting to explain why successive challengers have not been able to change the structure of competition for the Brazilian presidency, I will analyze the relation established between the pattern observed at this level and the other “connected” electoral disputes—both those for state executive and federal legislative office. The general conclusion is that even if the pattern continues, it is quite improbable that this will significantly impact the other levels of national political party competition.

巴西政党体系呈现出一种悖论态势。尽管工人党（Workers Party，PT）与巴西社会民主党（Brazilian Social Democratic Party，PSDB）在过去20年间主导了历届总统选举，但二者在其他层级的选举竞争中并未实现影响力提升。本研究旨在以2014年全国大选为切入点，对这一现状展开探讨。在尝试阐释历任挑战者始终未能撼动巴西总统选举竞争格局的缘由之后，笔者将剖析该层级选举的既有模式，与其他“关联”选举角逐——包括州行政长官选举与联邦立法机构席位选举——之间的内在关联。本研究的总体结论为：即便这一格局持续存续，其亦不大可能对国家其他层级的政党政治竞争产生显著影响。