The Federal Senate () is the

upper house An upper house is one of two Legislative chamber, chambers of a bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house. The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smaller and often has more restricted p ...

of the National Congress of

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

. When created under the Imperial Constitution in 1824, it was based on the

House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...

of the

British Parliament The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of ...

, but since the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889 and under the first republican Constitution the Federal Senate has resembled the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

. The current president of the Federal Senate is

Davi Alcolumbre Davi Samuel Alcolumbre Tobelem (; born 19 June 1977) is a Brazilian politician member of Brazil Union (UNIÃO). He is Senator for Amapá and, in the biennium 2019–2020, former President of the Federal Senate from 2019 to 2021 and former Pre ...

, a member of UNIÃO from

Amapá Amapá (; ) is one of the 26 federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil. It is in the North Region, Brazil, North Region of Brazil. It is Federative units of Brazil#List, the second-least populous state and the eighteenth-largest state by area ...

. He was re-elected in February 2025 for his two-year non-consecutive term, as he had already led the Senate between 2019-21 during Bolsonaro's government.

Membership

The Senate has 81 members, serving an eight-year

term of office A term of office, electoral term, or parliamentary term is the length of time a person serves in a particular elected office. In many jurisdictions there is a defined limit on how long terms of office may be before the officeholder must be subjec ...

. There are three senators from each of the country's 27 federative units, the

Federal District A federal district is a specific administrative division in one of various federations. These districts may be under the direct jurisdiction of a federation's national government, as in the case of federal territory (e.g., India, Malaysia), or the ...

and the 26

states State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

. Elections are staggered so that either a third or two-thirds of senators are up for election every four years. The most recent election took place in 2022, where one-third of the Senate was elected. Elections are held under the

first-past-the-post First-past-the-post (FPTP)—also called choose-one, first-preference plurality (FPP), or simply plurality—is a single-winner voting rule. Voters mark one candidate as their favorite, or First-preference votes, first-preference, and the cand ...

and

block voting Block or bloc voting refers to a class of electoral systems where multiple candidates are elected simultaneously. They do not guarantee minority representation and allow a group of voters (a voting bloc) to ensure that only their preferred candi ...

systems. In years when a third of members are up for election, voters can cast only one vote and the candidate who receives a plurality of votes within their state is elected. In years when two-thirds of members are up for election, voters can cast two votes. People can not vote for the same candidate twice, but each party can field up to two candidates in each state. The two highest-placed candidates in each state are elected.

History

The Federal Senate of Brazil was established as the ''Imperial Senate'' by the

Constitution of 1824 A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these princ ...

, first enacted after the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...

. It was modelled on the

of the

. Following independence, in 1822, Emperor Pedro I ordered the convocation of a Assembleia Geral Constituinte e Legislativa (''Legislative and Constituent General Assembly'') to draft the country's first Constitution. Following several disagreements with the elected deputies (which included representatives from present-day

Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...

, then part of the Brazilian Empire under the name of '' Província Cisplatina''), the Emperor dissolved the Assembly. In 1824, Pedro I implemented the first Constitution which established a legislative branch with the

Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourb ...

as the

lower house A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper house. Although styled as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power or otherwise e ...

, and the Senate as an upper house. The first configuration of the Senate was a consulting body to the Emperor. Membership was for life and it was a place of great prestige, to which only a small part of the population could aspire. The original Senate had 50 members, representing all of the Empire's provinces, each with a number of senators proportional to its population. In addition to these elected senators, daughters and sons of the Emperor aged at least 25 were senators by right. The elected members of the Senate had to be at least 40 years old and have an annual income of 800,000 contos-de-réis, which limited candidates to wealthy citizens. Voters also faced an income qualification. Voting in an election for the Senate was limited to male citizens with an annual income of at least 200,000 contos-de-réis. Those who qualified for this did not vote directly for senators; instead, they voted for candidates to be Senate electors. To be a Senate elector required an annual income of 400,000 contos-de-réis. Once elected, these electors would then vote for senator. The election itself would not result in a winner automatically. The three candidates receiving the most votes would make up what was called a "''triple list''", from which the Emperor would select one individual that would be considered "''elected''". The Emperor usually chose the candidate with the most votes, but it was within his discretion to select whichever of the three individuals listed. Following the adoption of the 1824 Constitution, the first session of the Senate took place in May 1826. The Emperor had repeatedly delayed calling the first election, which had led to accusations that he would attempt to establish an absolutist government. The Proclamation of the Republic in 1889 ended the Brazilian Empire in favor of the First Republic. The 1891 Constitution was then adopted, transforming Brazil's provinces into states and the Senate into an elected body. This was retained under later constitutions, including the current 1988 Constitution. Now known as the Federal Senate, it resembles the

in that each state has the same number of senators. File:Bertichen camara senadores campo aclamacao.jpg, Palácio Conde dos Arcos, seat of the Imperial Senate in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

, then Brazil's capital. File:Golden law 1888 Brazilian senate.png, The Imperial Senate in session, 1888 File:Palácio Monroe (cartão-postal 2).jpg, Palácio Monroe, second seat of the Senate. File:Plenário do Congresso (14651661588).jpg, The Federal Senate in the National Congress building in

Brasília Brasília ( ; ) is the capital city, capital of Brazil and Federal District (Brazil), Federal District. Located in the Brazilian highlands in the country's Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region, it was founded by President Juscelino ...

, capital city of Brazil since 1960. File:Senat de Brasilia.JPG, Exterior view of the Senate chamber.

Presiding Board

The current composition of the Mesa Diretora (''Presiding Board'') of the Federal Senate is as follows:

Composition

The current composition of the Senate (57th Legislature) is as follows:

Current senators

;

Acre The acre ( ) is a Unit of measurement, unit of land area used in the Imperial units, British imperial and the United States customary units#Area, United States customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one Chain (unit), ch ...

Alan Rick Alan Rick Miranda (born 23 October 1976), more commonly known as Alan Rick, is a Brazilian politician as well as a journalist, and television personality. He has spent his political career representing Acre, who had served as federal deputy repre ...

(UNIÃO) : Márcio Bittar (UNIÃO) : Sérgio Petecão (PSD) ;

Alagoas Alagoas () is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco (N and NW); Sergipe (S); Bahia (SW); and the Atlantic Ocean (E). Its capital is ...

: Eudócia Caldas (PL) : Fernando Farias (MDB) : Renan Calheiros (MDB) ;

(UNIÃO) : Lucas Barreto (PSD) : Randolfe Rodrigues (PT) ; Amazonas : Eduardo Braga (MDB) : Omar Aziz (PSD) : Plínio Valério (PSDB) ;

Bahia Bahia () is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Mina ...

: Angelo Coronel (PSD) : Jaques Wagner (PT) : Otto Alencar (PSD) ;

Ceará Ceará (, ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. It is the List of Brazilian states by population, eighth-largest Brazilian State by ...

: Augusta Brito (PT) : Cid Gomes (PSB) : Eduardo Girão (NOVO) ; Espírito Santo : Fabiano Contarato (PT) : Magno Malta (PL) : Marcos do Val (Podemos) ;

: Damares Alves (Republicans) : Izalci Lucas (PL) : Leila Barros (PDT) ;

Goiás Goiás () is a Brazilian States of Brazil, state located in the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region. Goiás borders the Federal District (Brazil), Federal District and the states of (from north clockwise) Tocantins, Bahia, Minas Ge ...

: Jorge Kajuru (PSB) : Vanderlan Cardoso (PSD) : Wilder Morais (PL) ;

Maranhão Maranhão () is a States of Brazil, state in Brazil. Located in the country's Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region, it has a population of about 7 million and an area of and it is divided into 217 municipalities. Clockwise from north, it ...

: Ana Paula Lobato (PDT) : Eliziane Gama (PSD) : Weverton Rocha (PDT) ;

Mato Grosso Mato Grosso ( – ) is one of the states of Brazil, the List of Brazilian states by area, third largest by area, located in the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region. The state has 1.66% of the Brazilian population and is responsible ...

: Jayme Campos (UNIÃO) : Margareth Buzetti (PSD) : Wellington Fagundes (PL) ;

Mato Grosso do Sul Mato Grosso do Sul ( ) is one of Federative units of Brazil, Brazil's 27 federal units, located in the southern part of the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West Region, bordering five Brazilian states: Mato Grosso (to the north), Goiás and ...

: Nelson Trad (PSD) : Soraya Thronicke (Podemos) : Tereza Cristina (PP) ;

Minas Gerais Minas Gerais () is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil, being the fourth largest state by area and the second largest in number of inhabitants with a population of 20,539,989 according to the 2022 Brazilian census, 2022 census. Located in ...

: Carlos Viana (Podemos) : Cleitinho Azevedo (Republicans) : Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD) ;

Pará Pará () is a Federative units of Brazil, state of Brazil, located in northern Brazil and traversed by the lower Amazon River. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins (state), Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas (Brazilian st ...

: Beto Faro (PT) : Jader Barbalho (MDB) : Zequinha Marinho (Podemos) ;

Paraíba Paraíba ( , ; ) is a states of Brazil, state of Brazil. It is located in the Brazilian Northeast, and it is bordered by Rio Grande do Norte to the north, Ceará to the west, Pernambuco to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Paraíba i ...

: Daniella Ribeiro (PP) : Efraim Filho (UNIÃO) : Veneziano Vital do Rêgo (MDB) ; Paraná : Flávio Arns (PSB) : Oriovisto Guimarães (PSDB) : Sergio Moro (UNIÃO) ;

Pernambuco Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...

: Fernando Dueire (MDB) : Humberto Costa (PT) : Teresa Leitão (PT) ;

Piauí Piauí ( ) is one of the states of Brazil, located in the country's Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. The state has 1.6% of the Brazilian population and produces 0.7% of the Brazilian GDP. Piauí has the shortest coastline of any coas ...

: Ciro Nogueira (PP) : Jussara Lima (PSD) : Marcelo Castro (MDB) ;

: Carlos Portinho (PL) : Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) : Romário Faria (PL) ;

Rio Grande do Norte Rio Grande do Norte (, , ) is one of the states of Brazil. It is located in the northeastern region of the country, forming the northeasternmost tip of the South American continent. The name literally translates as "Great Northern River", refe ...

: Rogério Marinho (PL) : Styvenson Valentim (PSDB) : Zenaide Maia (PSD) ;

Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...

: Hamilton Mourão (Republicans) : Luis Carlos Heinze (PP) : Paulo Paim (PT) ;

Rondônia Rondônia () is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the northern subdivision of the country (central-western part). It is bordered by Acre (state), Acre in the west, Amazonas, Brazil, Amazonas in the north, Mato Grosso in the east, and Bo ...

: Confúcio Moura (MDB) : Jaime Bagattoli (PL) : Marcos Rogério (PL) ;

Roraima Roraima ( ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil. Located in the country's North Region, it is the northernmost and most geographically and logistically isolated state in Brazil. It is bordered by the state of Pará to the southeast, Amazonas t ...

: Chico Rodrigues (PSB) : Hiran Gonçalves (PP) : Mecias de Jesus (Republicans) ; Santa Catarina : Espiridião Amin (PP) : Ivete da Silveira (MDB) : Jorge Seif (PL) ;

São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...

: Alexandre Giordano (MDB) : Mara Gabrilli (PSD) :

Marcos Pontes Marcos Cesar Pontes (born 11 March 1963) is a Brazilian Air Force pilot, engineer, Agência Espacial Brasileira, AEB astronaut, politician and author. He became the first South American and the first Lusophone to go into space when he docked ont ...

(PL) ;

Sergipe Sergipe (), officially State of Sergipe, is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil. Located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region along the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the country, Sergipe is the smallest state in Brazil by geogra ...

: Alessandro Vieira (MDB) : Laercio Oliveira (PP) : Rogério Carvalho Santos (PT) ; Tocantins : Dorinha Seabra (UNIÃO) : Eduardo Gomes (PL) : Irajá Abreu (PSD)

Standing committees

Notes

References

External links

Official website
of the Brazilian Senate (archived 15 June 2014)

* List of all Brazilian senators (1826–2011) {{Authority control

1824 establishments in Brazil Federal chambers