2010 Brazilian legislative election

According to the Constitution, each state is represented by three Senators elected by a majority of the votes. They are directly elected to an eight-year term, and there is no limit on the number of terms a Senator may serve. Alternating, one third and then two thirds of the seats are up for election every four years. In 2006, one third of the seats were up for election and thus in 2010 two thirds of the seats were up for election, corresponding to two of the Senators elected by each one of the 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District.

The Chamber of Deputies represent the people of each state, and its members are elected by a system of proportional representation, due to federalism being adopted as the form of government in the country. Federal deputies are elected for a four-year term, and there is no limit on the number of terms a deputy may serve.

Election campaign team of Sávio Neves, candidate in Rio de Janeiro

In 2010, 22 of the country's 27 registered political parties were able to elect at least one representative in the Chamber, while 15 were able to elect at least one Senator.

As a result of the so-called "Red Wave",[1] the Workers' Party (PT) became the largest party in the Chamber for the first time ever with 88 deputies, and elected Marco Maia as President of the lower house.[2] Collectively, its coalition, For Brazil to keep on changing, elected 311 deputies.[3] Four parties in the coalition lost seats; the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), Brazilian Republican Party (PRB), Democratic Labour Party (PDT), and the Christian Labour Party (PTC). However, only the PTC failed to gain seats in either house. The Republic Party (RP) had the biggest gain, electing 16 deputies more than in 2006.[3] In the Senate, the centre-left coalition was able to elect 39 seats, against 10 won by the opposition.[4] PT reached an all-time high in the upper house, electing 12 Senators and becoming the second largest party in the Senate, behind only the PMDB.[4] The other parties in the coalition did not have any significant gains, with the exception being the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB), which was able to elect the first female Communist Senator in Brazilian history (Vanessa Grazziotin, from Amazonas).[5]

The anti-Lula bloc, on the other hand, suffered substantial losses in both houses. The Democrats (DEM), which had been the second largest party in the Senate during the previous 2007-2011 legislature, was the fourth largest, and managed to elect only 2 seats, reducing their total to 6 seats, tied with the Brazilian Labour Party (PTB) from the same coalition.[4] It also had the largest loss in the Chamber, losing 22 seats, and was closely followed by its ally, the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), which lost 13 seats.[3] Overall, the Brazil can do more coalition lost control of 44 seats in the Chamber[3] and 11 in the Senate.[4] Influential members of the opposition during the Lula administration, such as Arthur Virgílio, Heráclito Fortes, Marco Maciel, and Tasso Jereissati, were not able to obtain re-election and will no longer serve in the National Congress.[6]

Other opposition members were more successful than the centre-right Brazil can do more coalition. The Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) was able to elect two Senators, gaining an extra seat when compared to the previous legislature.[4] It also kept its three seats in the Chamber.[3] The Green Party (PV) gained two extra seats in the Chamber,[3] in spite of losing its only seat in the Senate.[4]