Open Chamber: proposals for a more democratic House of Representatives
Open Chamber: proposals for a more democratic House of Representatives
Pacto pela Democracia collaborated with experts from its network to develop Câmara Aberta, an agenda featuring 14 proposals to enhance the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies in Brasília (DF). This initiative seeks to make the House’s regulations more democratic and strengthen social participation in legislative processes.
The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies has undergone changes to its Rules of Procedure over the past four years. The very regulations meant to ensure a democratic and open process have been altered, making legislative procedures less accessible to civil society participation. This central issue motivated the Pacto network to seek solutions, especially given the window of opportunity presented by the biennial change in the Chamber’s presidency.
The proposal was developed under the technical coordination of Beatriz Rey, a Ph.D. in Political Science, postdoctoral researcher at EACH-USP, and associate researcher at the POPVOX Foundation, along with Guilherme France, Research and Advocacy Manager at Transparency International Brazil.
According to Beatriz Rey, "Câmara Aberta is a significant and inspiring example of Brazilian democracy at work. Civil society and academia have come together to think about how to make the Chamber of Deputies more functional, representative, and transparent."
In recent years, internal changes have weakened transparency mechanisms and limited opportunities for social participation in deliberations, voting, and the overall functioning of the Chamber.
"The Chamber of Deputies has undergone a long and, more recently, intensified process of closure, which this project aims to reverse. It has become increasingly difficult and costly for society to monitor and influence decision-making processes that affect everyone," explains Guilherme France.
Key Recommendations for Reform
Among the proposed reforms are measures to improve the Chamber’s operations and ensure greater transparency in legislative discussions. These include revising hybrid voting rules and establishing clearer criteria for urgent proceedings. Changes made during the pandemic need to be refined to prevent rushed decisions and avoid concentrating power in the hands of the Chamber’s presidency.
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