Vice President of Brazil

Vice President of Brazil. The Vice President of Brazil is the second-highest-ranking official in the executive branch of the Federal government of Brazil, standing first in the presidential line of succession. The office was established by the 1891 Constitution following the proclamation of the Republic of the United States of Brazil, with Floriano Peixoto serving as the first vice president under President Deodoro da Fonseca. The vice president's primary constitutional roles include succeeding the president in case of vacancy and presiding over the Federal Senate, a legacy of the United States model of government that influenced Brazil's republican founders.

History

The office emerged from the political reforms of the late Empire of Brazil, culminating in the Proclamation of the Republic led by Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca. The inaugural Constitution of 1891, drafted by the Constituent Assembly (1890-1891), formally created the position, with its early holders including figures like Floriano Peixoto, who later ascended to the presidency. Throughout the First Brazilian Republic, the vice presidency was often a tool for political conciliation among regional oligarchies like those from São Paulo and Minas Gerais. The role was abolished during the Vargas Era under the Estado Novo constitution but was reinstated with the 1946 Constitution following the deposition of Getúlio Vargas. The position gained significant notoriety during the military dictatorship (1964–1985), when Vice President José Sarney succeeded the dying Tancredo Neves in 1985, marking the return to civilian rule known as the Nova República.

Election and succession

The vice president is elected jointly with the president through a direct popular vote utilizing a two-round system, as mandated by the 1988 Constitution. Candidates run on a single ticket, and to win in the first round, a ticket must secure an absolute majority of valid votes, excluding blanks and nulls; otherwise, a second round is held between the two top-performing tickets. This process is administered by the Superior Electoral Court. In the event of a presidential vacancy due to death, resignation, impeachment, or incapacity, the vice president assumes the presidency for the remainder of the term, as occurred with Itamar Franco following the impeachment of Fernando Collor de Mello in 1992. Further succession falls to the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies, the Federal Senate, and the Supreme Federal Court, in that order.

Powers and duties

The vice president's powers are largely defined by the constitution and legislative delegation, with the primary duty being to succeed the president. A significant constitutional power is the role of President of the Federal Senate, granting the vice president a casting vote in ties and the authority to preside over sessions and ceremonial duties, though day-to-day management is typically delegated to a President pro tempore. The vice president is also a statutory member of key advisory bodies like the Council of the Republic and the National Defense Council. Historically, presidents have assigned additional ad-hoc responsibilities; for instance, Vice President Hamilton Mourão chaired the National Council of the Amazon, while Michel Temer was active in political liaison before succeeding Dilma Rousseff after her impeachment.

List of vice presidents

Since Floriano Peixoto, over forty individuals have held the office, with many ascending to the presidency, such as Nilo Peçanha, João Goulart, and José Sarney. The military regime saw vice presidents like Augusto Rademaker and Aureliano Chaves chosen indirectly by the National Congress. The PMDB and its successor, the MDB, have produced several vice presidents, including Marco Maciel and Michel Temer. Notable recent officeholders include Geraldo Alckmin, who served under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva after a historic electoral alliance between the PSB and the Workers' Party. The list includes figures from pivotal political events, such as Pedro Aleixo, who was prevented from succeeding during the AI-5 period.

Office and residence

The administrative headquarters of the vice presidency is the Palácio do Planalto Annex, an executive office building adjacent to the main presidential palace in the Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília. The official vice-presidential residence is the Palácio do Jaburu, a modernist structure designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer and located within the Alvorada Palace complex near Lake Paranoá. Ceremonial duties and state functions are often held at the Itamaraty Palace, the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The vice president also utilizes facilities at the Palácio do Planalto for meetings and maintains support offices within the National Congress building due to the legislative presiding role.