Michel Temer (PMDB-SP) elected president of the Brazilian Chamber
Deputy Michel Temer (PMDB-SP), supported by a block of 14 parties, was elected today (February 2) president of the Chamber of Deputies for the biennium 2009/10, with 304 of total 509 votes. It is the third time that Temer holds the presidency of the House. He also was in charge during the periods 1997-1999 and 1999-2001.
Dep. Ciro Nogueira (PP-PI) came second in the election with 129 votes. Dep. Aldo Rebelo (PCdoB-SP), supported by the block PcdoB-PSB-PMN-PRB and PSOL, was placed third with 76 votes. There were no blank or null votes.
Profile: Who is Michel Temer
Son of a tradesman from Lebanon, Michel Miguel Elias Temer Lulia, Temer is from São Paulo, 68 years old, and made history when he was elected for the third time for the Presidency of the Chamber. Before him, in the Republican period, only two men got to accomplish the same prowess: Ulysses Guimarães, who was also from São Paulo, and Flávio Marcílio, from Piauí. Temer occupied the presidency from 1997-1999 and 1999-2001.
Graduated in Law at the traditional Law School of the University of São Paulo (USP), married for the second time and father of four, Michel Temer has always actuated both in the juridical milieu and in political life. Master and PhD in Law, he lectured at PUC in São Paulo and at the Law School of ITU (SP). He is the author of four books, from which the most recent, on Constitutional Law, is at its 22nd edition.
Political life
His political initiation started at the beginning of the 60es, as an office official for his former professor Ataliba Nogueira, a famous intellectual in the law area, and Secretary of Education in the government of Adhemar de Barros. Since then, Temer has occupied several positions, such as the one of General Attorney of the State of São Paulo, and Secretary of Public Safety, the later, at the invitation of two governors (Franco Montoro and Luiz Antônio Fleury Filho). As a secretary, it was up to him to create the first police station specializing in matters pertaining to women, in 1985.
His debut in Congress occurred in 1987, as a constituent deputy. Since then, he has had six mandates, always at PMDB, a party he has presided since 2001. At the Parliament, Temer detached himself for his capacity of articulation and for his transit between the opposition and the government. In today’s election, he counted with the support of 14 political parties. Those parties’ scope went from PT to DEM, joining allies and oppositionists to Lula’s government. Because of that political position, the parties published a declaration in which they affirmed that the new president was a “candidate of the institution”.
Actuation at the Chamber
At the Chamber, Temer occupied the presidency of the Committee on Finances and Taxation, in addition to being a constant presence of PMDB at the Committee on the Constitution and Justice and Citizenship, the most important committee of the House and which concentrates the constitutional debate on bills.
In recent years, he has voted in favor of important bills, such as the Dry Law, and the one which increases the penalties for the crime of pedophilia (Laws 11.705/08 and 11.829/08). He also voted favorably to the bill which amends the rite of procedures of Provisional Measures (PEC 511/06) and to the PEC of the Councilmen (333/04). Temer also supported the bills serving the interests of the government, such as the bill on the Brazilian Sovereign Fund (currently Law 11.887/08) and the MP which created the Brazil Communication Company (Law 11.652/08). He is the author of the bills that originated the laws on the special courts (9.095/95) and on the repression to organized crime (9.034/95).
Campaign
During the campaign, Temer committed to work for the strengthening of the institution in the Executive, by restricting the use of provisional measures and by creating a women’s parliamentary attorney’s office, with a seat at the College of Leaders, to highlight the work of 44 female deputies. Regarding the bills, he showed himself favorable to political reform and to imposition budget.
Janary Júnior
Translation - Positive Idiomas Ltda