Brazilian Labour Party (Current)

The **Brazilian Labour Party** (Portuguese: *Partido Trabalhista Brasileiro*, PTB) is a political party in Brazil founded in 1981 by Ivete Vargas, niece of President Getúlio Vargas. It claims the legacy of the historical PTB, although many historians reject this because the early version of PTB was a center-left party with wide support in the working class. Despite the name suggesting a left-leaning unionist labour party, the PTB joined a coalition led by the centrist to centre-right PSDB in 2010.

The party has recently shown strong support for the government of Jair Bolsonaro, presenting policies from a more right-wing angle, in addition to affiliating federal deputy Daniel Silveira, known for making references to AI-5.

## History

In 1981, the military dictatorship that had dismantled the historic PTB decided to revoke its legislation which enforced a two-party state. Ivete Vargas, niece of Getúlio Vargas, became the president of the party.

Soon thereafter, a social-democratic wing of the original PTB, led by Leonel Brizola, founded the Democratic Labour Party (PDT). This all but ensured that the PTB would abandon leftist politics, ultimately embracing centrist or slightly right-leaning politics.

In the 1989, a small dissident faction of moderate social democrats and populists abandoned the PTB and founded the Labour Party of Brazil (PTdoB).

## Popular support

At the legislative elections of October 6, 2002, the party won 26 out of 513 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 3 out of 81 seats in the Senate.

Before the 2010 presidential election, PTB participated in the coalition government of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and did not field presidential candidates. The party, however, did not support Lula's candidate to succeed him, Dilma Rousseff (herself a former historical PTB/PDT member), as it embarked on PSDB José Serra's failed campaign for President.

## Notable members

**Current members**

* Roberto Jefferson, former Federal Deputy for Rio de Janeiro (1983—2005, by **PTB**).
* Eduardo Cunha, former President of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil (2015—2016, by MDB) and Federal Deputy for Rio de Janeiro (2003—2016, by MDB).
* Iolanda Fleming, former Governor of Acre (1986—1987, by MDB) and Vice Governor of Acre (1983—1986, by MDB).
* Daniel Silveira, Federal Deputy for Rio de Janeiro (2019—present, by PSL, UNIÃO and **PTB**).
* Fernando Collor de Mello, Senator for Alagoas (2007—present, by **PTB**, PROS, PTC, former President of Brazil (1990—1992, by Act), Governor of Alagoas (1987—1989, by MDB and PRN), Mayor of Maceió (1979—1983, by ARENA and PDS) and Federal Deputy for Alagoas (1983—1986, by PDS).

**Former members**

* Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brasil (2019—present, by PSL and PL) and former Federal Deputy for Rio de Janeiro (1991—2018, by PSL, PSC, Progressives, DEM, **PTB**, PPR and PDC).
* Jânio Quadros, former President of Brazil (1961, by PTN), Governor of São Paulo (1955—1959, by PDC) and Mayor of São Paulo (1986—1988, by **PTB**, and 1953—1955, by PDC).
* Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro (2021—present, by DEM and PSD, and 2009—2016, by MDB) and former Federal Deputy for Rio de Janeiro (2002—2006, by PSDB, and 1999—2001, by **PTB**)
* Telmário Mota, Senator for Roraima (2015—present, by PDT, **PTB** and PROS).
* Ivete Vargas, former Federal Deputy for São Paulo (1983—1984, by **PTB**, and 1951—1969, by PTB (defunct) and MDB).
* Cristiane Brasil, former Federal Deputy for Rio de Janeiro (2015—2019, by **PTB**).