Revisitando o papel do legislativo no contexto da transição política no Brasil (1974-1985)

Abstract

This article analyzes the role of the Brazilian Legislature in the political transition between 1974 and 1985, arguing that, even while subordinated to the authoritarian regime, the National Congress played a significant part in institutional adaptation and the process of democratization. The study adopts a historical-institutional perspective, with a qualitative and descriptive-analytical approach, centered on the intrinsic case study of the National Congress and grounded in the comparative literature on political transitions. Drawing on documentary sources and legislative data, the analysis examines how authoritarian norms shaped actors’ strategies and constrained the scope of legislative action. The findings demonstrate that Legislature, far from being a passive actor, functioned as an arena of negotiation, legitimation, and conflict management. The article concludes that the gradual control of the transition ensured the continuity of political elites and left institutional legacies that continue to affect the quality of Brazilian democracy today.