Overview
- The plan was announced Wednesday, Oct. 28, by Hugo Motta and would replace Brazil’s open‑list proportional vote for federal and state deputies, the Distrito Federal legislature and municipal councils with a mixed‑member system that pairs district‑elected representatives and party‑list seats.
- Motta intends to seek debate and a vote this year and set a transition beginning in 2030 with full implementation in 2034, but the proposal must first gather at least 171 deputy sponsors and clear admissibility, a special committee and two separate three‑fifths votes in both the Chamber and the Senate.
- Left parties including PT and PCdoB have publicly rejected the change and PSOL‑Rede warned the district draw could reinforce local clientelism and vote‑buying, while some centrist figures signaled openness and parties like Novo said they were surprised and not consulted.
- Key technical choices remain unresolved — how many seats will be district versus list, how districts will be drawn and the exact transition mechanics — and those design decisions will determine whether smaller parties keep representation or larger regional forces consolidate power.
- Motta also launched a cross‑party working group to draft rules for electoral propaganda on digital platforms with a 15‑day target for a proposal, and the move builds on a long‑running debate over electoral reform in Brazil that includes proposals dating back to 2017.