The National Congress will decide later this year, how the Brazilian Representation in Mercosur Parliament (Parlasur) will be composed up to 2012, when the representatives will be chosen by direct elections. Through a new resolution, which must be approved by December 31, the number of representatives in the Brazilian Parlasul in 2011 will be established, as well as the distribution of vacancies between deputies and senators. Currently, the distribution is egalitarian: there are nine deputies and nine senators.

The term of Resolution 1/ 2007 of the National Congress ends in December, which governs the composition and powers of Representation in Brazilian Parlasur, currently composed of 18 parliamentarians.

Agreement

The formalization of a political agreement last week among the four MERCOSUR countries - Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay - has changed the future composition of the parties of those countries, ensuring greater number of jobs to countries with larger populations. Thus, Brazil will count in this first stage of transition, with 37 representatives in Parlasur - a number that will increase gradually to 75 representatives in 2014.

The new resolution shall define, for example, if Congress has to appoint the 37 representatives for 2011 or keep 18 through the holding of direct elections. The Delegation of Argentina, for example, announced that as early as next year, shall appoint 26 representatives in 2011 according to the agreement made last week. Argentina has the right to only 18 seats in Parlasur. The Congress of Argentina will initially appoint the Representatives.

If the Brazilian option is to wait for the direct election of 2011, Brazil will maintain the current party of 18 representatives and will have fewer votes than Argentina in Parlasur.

Clarification
Nonetheless, the representation will continue to be composed only of representatives and senators in the exercise of their mandates in 2011, as reiterated in Parlasur Brazilian Representation, in a statement issued last Monday (25). The note was published after the news release indicated that the possibility of politicians without term of office composing the Brazilian delegation.

With information from the Agency Senate