Brazilian Democratic Movement

Encyclopedia : B : BR : BRA : Brazilian Democratic Movement

The Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) was a centrist political party in Brazil that existed from 1965 to 1979. It was formed in 1965, when the military government that overthrew President João Goulart abolished all existing political parties and replaced them with its own party, the National Renewal Alliance Party (ARENA), and the MDB as the official party of the opposition.

Although at first the MDB did not seem to have any power in Congress, in the elections of 1974 it took almost enough seats to gain majority in Congress. The government reacted by passing legislation restricting the power of the opposition, and even annulled the election of certain Congressmen of the MDB.

In 1979, in an attempt to split-up the opposition, the military government abolished the two-party system, and the MDB became the Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement"(PMDB).

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