Brazil

Brazil is a unitary republic with a presidential form of government. In the Economist Democracy Index 2024, it received an overall score of 6.49/10 ("flawed democracy") and a rating of 9.58/10 for electoral processes and pluralism.

At the federal level, the bicameral legislature consists of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, which are directly elected in constituencies corresponding to the 24 provinces. Of the 513 members of the Chamber of Deputies, half of the seats are renewed in each province at the same time (in the case of an odd number, the last seat falls into one or the other group), and 127 in 2025. In the Senate, each of the 24 provinces elects 3 members, for a total of 72 members. Every two years, one-third of the 24 provinces (8) elect senators for 6-year terms.

The minimum age for active suffrage (the right to vote) is 16 years, and voting is compulsory for those over 18 and under 70. The minimum age to stand for election is 25 years for the House of Representatives and 30 years for the Senate and the Presidency (and Vice-Presidency).