Brazil has a multi-party system since 1979, when the country's military dictatorship disbanded an enforced two-party system and allowed the creation of multiple parties. All candidates for federal, state, municipal, and Federal District offices must be nominated by a political party. Independent politicians are not allowed to run for office in Brazil.
The Brazilian National Congress has been since characterized by political fragmentation, reaching a peak of 35 registered political parties in 2018, 30 of which were represented in congress after the 2018 general election, with an effective number of parties of 16.5. An electoral threshold introduced in 2017, which restricted access to party subsidies and free party political broadcasts, combined with the end of coalitions in proportional elections, has since caused this number to decrease. Since 2021, parties are allowed to unite under party federations, with a minimum duration of four years, sharing a common statute and leadership.
Since the 2022 general election, the Liberal Party (PL), the Workers' Party (PT), the Brazil Union (UNIÃÂO), the Progressives (PP), the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) and the Republicans together control over 80% of the Brazilian Congress, along with over 70% of the mayors in municipalities.
Brazilian parties have access to party subsidies in the form of Fundo Partidário () and Fundo Eleitoral (), and a system of free party political broadcasts during election time known as the horário eleitoral gratuito.
Since 1982, Brazilian political parties have been given an electoral number to make it easier for illiterate people to vote. Initially, it was a one-digit number: 1 for PDS, 2 for PDT, 3 for PT, 4 for PTB, and 5 for PMDB. When it became clear that there was going to be more than nine parties, two-digit numbers were assigned, with the first five parties having a "1" added to their former one-digit number (PDS becoming number 11, PDT 12, PT 13, PTB 14, and PMDB 15). Political parties often change their names, but they can retain their number.
On 28 September 2021, Law No. 14,208 was enacted, establishing "federations" (). These federations are associations between parties, considered as a single party in elections and legislative activities such as the creation of caucuses and committees. The associated parties must belong to the federation for at least four years from the date of its registration, with penalties if they leave before the deadline.
The establishment of party federations followed the abolition of coalitions in proportional elections, which allowed parties to function as single in seat allocation. This change was implemented through Constitutional Amendment No. 97 of 2017, which also introduced an electoral threshold for future parliamentary elections. Parties and federations that surpass this threshold gain access to public subsidies through the Party Fund () and are entitled to free advertising on radio and television.
Below are listed the federations currently registered with the Superior Electoral Court:
This list presents the parties of the current Sixth Republic that were once registered with the Superior Electoral Court, but have ceased to exist. The existence of all these parties has ended by the result of mergers.
This list presents the parties that never reached the Sixth Republic. Due to the large number of parties that were dissolved, especially during the First and Second Republics, it is not intended to be an exhaustive list.