Democracy can be described in different ways (from instrumental versions to participatory versions); regardless of the choice someone makes, a given is constant: A true democracy requires given rules of the game.
In this sense, a democracy is like a football game. When players enter the field, they already know the rules of the game and know what role they must play to achieve the objective: the victory. Imagine that a judge changes the rules every ten minutes, This could protect a team or destabilize the game in such a way that it will be impossible to continue.
In Brazil we specialize in constantly changing the rules of the game, or better, whenever the opposing team approaches victory. But, so as not to make our “little way” too obvious.” to sort things out, We always try to lend a certain air of legitimacy, seeking in the words of a jurist or in the actions of a statesman the source of “truth” that should guide us.
The last case that fits this profile was the decision of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) which homogenizes party coalitions[1]. The decision, em si, it doesn't seem serious; the issue that draws the most attention is that it was taken on the eve of the elections – remembering that I am
We are experts in anticipating the electoral process by approximately one year, even if the act of voting continues on the same date. The result of this was a profound change in the power relations and electoral calculations that the parties had been developing until now..
Let's focus on the Roseana/PFL case, who was perhaps most affected by all of this. The PFL clearly prefers to be the party in power and not in the candidacy, that is, while the parties leave for the battle front, the PFL tends to stay behind the scenes, in order to get closer to the winner, after all, “God is on the side of whoever will win”.
Roseana's candidacy may have backfired on the party's traditional modus operandi. They launched a candidate to see what support they could get and, thereby, show other players what coins they had available and how far they could get. How Roseana's candidacy took off, the party was forced to bet more seriously on its candidacy and, thereby, leaves his gray position and enters the electoral front line.
Frontline costs are too high. The candidate's level and quality of exposure are decisive for the result. Roseana was free at the beginning as it was not yet interesting to try to show a possible other side of the Pefelist candidacy. For some time now, an email has been circulating on the internet saying how Maranhão is doing since the Sarneys came to power., but now the artillery is starting to get stronger, mainly because we are in a growth scenario – even if discreet – of the government candidate.
The last chapter of this soap opera is what the PFL understands as a coup by the PSDB. For them, a more radical wing of the PSDB worked with the TSE to change the rules of the game just now that Roseana was rehearsing to take the top position in voting intentions. But it didn't stop there, investigations against a company owned by the husband of the presidential candidate governor of Maranhão was the target of strong and highly media-driven action, under investigation for corruption and embezzlement.
Roseana and her team's first response was to criticize the PSDB – read, that ante PFL – for attempt to destabilize the PFL candidacy. Everything would be a dirty and baseless scam.
If it were with Paulo Maluf, we would probably be listening: “It’s good that they open all the documentation even, That way you’ll see that I didn’t do anything.”. But with her it's different, try to keep all documentation stored within your state or, if possible, take it back to the company. After the scare, the PFL group stopped demonstrating and, everything indicates, now works behind the scenes. Whether there is something there or not, only the story will tell (and I hope it counts for all of us and not just those at the core of power).
It is strange that the PFL was not prepared for a case like this since behind-the-scenes games have always been their specialty. It's pay to see.
Moral of the hist & oacute; ria: never show all your secrets and practices because, one day, they can be used against you.
Notes
[1] The TSE decided on the day 26 last, after a consultation request made 6 months ago by deputy Miro Teixeira (PDT-RJ), that the parties that are affiliated in the presidential election, cannot form different coalitions at other levels.
Originally published in:
magazine Author
Pol & iacute; tica
Year II – N. 9 – March of 2002
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