Movement Against Electoral Corruption fosters people’s involvement for substantial political reform

Criado em 08/08/13 15h31 e atualizado em 08/08/13 17h08
Por Ivan Richard Edição:s Fonte:Agência Brasil

Brasília – A political reform that is substantial and not just cosmetic can only happen when society is heard and finds room for proposals to be discussed, said judge Marlon Jacinto Reis, the director of the Movement Against Electoral Corruption (“MCCE”). In his view, the current political system “is dead” and the popular demonstrations evince a political representation crisis and a lack of legitimacy among institutions.

“In our opinion there can’t be any political reform if an external factor is not taken into account: the interests of society. This can be done, and society is being voiced,” Reis declared during a public hearing of the task force, which discusses political reformation in the Chamber of Deputies.

It is the view of the MCCE that, in spite of the urgent need for political reform, a proposal brought forward by Congress, or presented by political parties, can hardly be passed due to disagreements among them, despite society’s interests.

“The debate has been polarized into groups, or parties. No proposal can attain 40% [of the votes] and no one can discuss their own proposal because ever since the beginning proposals have been marked with ‘This is not a political reform project. This belongs to party such-and-such,’” he argued.

Such disagreement among parties brings about, according to Reis, a lower level of trust: “This makes it impossible to pass something. We’ve reached a deadlock: everyone knows the reform should be carried out as soon as possible, it’s long overdue; it should have been done years ago and now groups aren’t being given a chance to dialogue,” he said.

In his testimony, he further said that the main topics to be analyzed in political reform are campaign expenditures. “We’re sure that we [the civil society] can collaborate with the process of bringing together the different segments in order to make a substantial change, rather than a cosmetic one.”

Apart from the MCCE, made up of 51 organizations, among which the Order of Attorneys of Brazil (“OAB”), the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (“CNBB”) and the Association of Brazilian Magistrates (“AMB”), representatives from union centres also take part in the public hearing.

Editors: Denise Griesinger / Olga Bardawil
Translators: Fabrício Ferreira / Olga Bardawil