Chamber of Deputies of Brazil
| Chamber of Deputies Câmara dos Deputados (pr) | |
|---|---|
| TBD | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 511 |
 | |
Political groups |
In government (149) (42) (19)Official Opposition (135) (19) (9) (16) (3)Other opposition (87) (11) (6) (15) |
| Elections | |
| Open list proportional voting system | |
Last election | September 17, 2019 |
Next election | September 19, 2023 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Chamber of the Deputies, Tiradentes Palace, Rio de Janeiro | |
The Chamber of Deputies of Brazil (Portuguese: Câmara dos Deputados) is the lower house of the national legislature of the Empire of Brazil. Along with the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies forms the General Assembly.
The Chamber of Deputies was founded by the 1824 Constitution of Brazil. The roles, functions, and responsibilities of the Chamber of Deputies was gradually expanded by amendments to the constitution that were implemented throughout the late twentieth century, most notably following the 1955 constitutional referendum. The Chamber of Deputies is the fourteenth largest lower chamber in the world, having a total of 511 members. Each member of the Chamber of Deputies is elected through the open-list proportional representation system in general elections. Representation in the Chamber of Deputies is distributed to each federal state based on population, with Minas Gerais having the most representation in the chamber.
The Chamber of Deputies is charged with the creation and passage of federal legislation. The Chamber of Deputies is viewed as the more important of the two houses of parliament as important government officials, such as the Prime Minister, and notable political leaders are selected from this house, and has the unique responsibility of formatting a annual budget and initiating impeachment proceedings against federal officers. The Chamber of Deputies convenes at the Tiradentes Palace in Rio de Janeiro, the national capital.
Overview
The Chamber of Deputies was established on March 25, 1824 by the Constitution of Brazil and held its first legislative session on May 6, 1826 . It was designed to serve as the lower chamber of the General Assembly, with the then unelected Senate serving as the upper chamber. The role of the Chamber of Deputies was expanded upon after Pedro II & V implemented the parliamentary system in Brazil and designated the Chamber of Deputies as the origin point of parliamentary government, where he selected the prime minister and various government advisors. With that, notable political officials in the country, including members of the government and opposition, began to originate from the Chamber of Deputies. The powers of the Chamber of Deputies was solidified by the Legislative Powers Act of 1918 and the 1955 constitutional referendum.
In contemporary times, the Chamber of Deputies is viewed as the more important of the two chambers of the General Assembly. While the Senate is viewed as more prestigious, the Chamber of Deputies is viewed as more effective in formulating national policies and running the country. The prime minister, members of the council of ministers and members of the opposition (such as the leader of the opposition, and various other government officials. Since 1955, there have been a total of 511 members of the Chamber of Deputies, making the chamber the fourteenth largest in terms of size globally. Members of the Chamber of Deputies are elected to serve a term of four years that can be renewed indefinitely. As a parliamentary democracy, snap elections are commonplace in Brazilian politics and can result in deputies serving a shorter term than intended. The most recent general election to occur was in 2023.