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A proposal that aims to increase the number of seats in the Chamber of Deputies could bring significant changes to the political representation of states and directly impact public spending, with a considerable increase in annual expenses.
In a vote held last Tuesday, May 6, the Chamber of Deputies approved a bill that aims to increase the number of federal deputies.
The project, according to the proposal's rapporteur, deputy Damião Feliciano (União-PB), foresees the creation of 18 new seats in the Legislature, increasing the total number of parliamentarians from 513 to 531 from 2026.
The measure was approved with 270 votes in favor, 207 against and now awaits analysis by the Senate.
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The proposal amends Complementary Law No. 78, which regulates the determination of the number of deputies in the Chamber.
The objective is to adjust the representation of the states based on population growth, according to the most recent data from the Census carried out by IBGE.
The increase in seats will be distributed proportionally to the states with the highest population growth in recent years.
Financial impact of the change
According to the rapporteur's opinion, the annual financial impact of the increase in deputies could exceed R$64 million.
The calculation was based on the operating costs of the new positions and includes salaries, benefits and other expenses related to the new parliamentarians.
Each deputy would generate a cost of approximately R$3,6 million per year, according to the estimate presented.
Damião Feliciano, however, guaranteed that the Chamber of Deputies budget would already cover these new expenses, even with the increase in vacancies.
The Chamber's General Directorate concluded, based on the 2025 budget data, that the House would have sufficient margin to absorb the additional costs arising from the approval of the project.
How will the new chairs be distributed?
The project foresees the following redistribution of the 18 new vacancies:
- Santa Catarina will receive 4 additional chairs;
- Para will win 4 seats;
- Amazon will have 2 new chairs;
- Rio Grande do Norte you will see the inclusion of 2 chairs;
- Mato Grosso will have 2 more chairs;
- Goiás, Ceará, Minas Gerais e Paraná will have 1 chair each.
The distribution of vacancies will follow the guidelines of the Demographic Census carried out by IBGE, being submitted to the Federal Court of Auditors (TCU) to guarantee the accuracy of the data and the legality of the process.
The adjustment aims to make representation fairer, reflecting the population reality of each state.
STF action and decision on redistribution
The proposal was driven by a determination of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), which required the National Congress to review the distribution of deputy seats, based on the current population of each state.
The discussion began after an action brought by the government of Pará, which argued that the distribution of the 513 seats was made in 1993, without taking into account the population growth that had occurred since then.
The government of Pará argues that, since 2010, the state has the right to four more federal deputies, based on population growth.
The STF, in view of this demand, established a deadline until June 30, 2025 for the National Congress to find a solution to the issue.
If the deadline is not met, the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) will make the decision on the redistribution of federal and state deputies, considering population changes and the methodology established by the TSE's own resolution.
The impact of the increase in vacancies will be significant, as it will directly affect the way votes are distributed among states, taking into account the most recent IBGE census, which was carried out in 2022.
In addition, the TSE will use demographic data to ensure that the distribution respects the constitutional floor and ceiling by constituency.
What's next?
Now, with approval in the Chamber, the bill goes to the Senate, where it will be debated and, if approved, sanctioned by the president.
If the proposal is approved, Brazil will have a more representative National Congress, based on the current population needs and demands of each state.
With the possible expansion of seats, parliamentarians will have the responsibility of dealing with issues that directly affect the population of their states.
The measure could also bring a series of political consequences, as the states that receive more seats will have greater power to influence the decisions of the National Congress.
The approval of the project could, however, generate debates about the costs of maintaining the Chamber and public spending priorities, especially in a context of fiscal challenges and limited budget.
For many, the increase in vacancies can be seen as a reflection of demographic reality, but for others, it represents a concern about the financial impact that the measure would have.
What does the population think about this?
This type of change in Brazilian politics tends to generate discussions among voters and experts.
On the one hand, the measure can be seen as positive, as it ensures that the most populous states have greater representation in Congress.
On the other hand, there are those who question whether the increase in parliamentarians will really bring significant improvements for the population, or whether it will just be another increase in the costs of the political system.
Will the expansion of the Chamber bring more benefits to the population, or is the increase in spending on deputies a concern that should be considered?
