Braz. political sci. rev.2024;18(3):e0002.

ISSUE Cover

Are Ministerial Gates Closed? Party Politicization and Fractionalization in the Federal Political Bureaucracy (1999-2018)

Felix Lopez , Thiago Moreira da Silva

DOI: 10.1590/1981-3821202400030002

In this study, we explore novel data concerning party affiliations within ministries to characterize political-party appointments in high and mid-level bureaucracy from 1999 to 2018. We argue that party cleavages within these organizations hold significant importance. To scrutinize the variance among ministries, we propose an index of intra-ministerial party fractionalization. By emphasizing the distinction between party politicization and fractionalization as separate dimensions that vary significantly among ministries, our argument underscores the importance of intra-ministerial party cleavages in understanding government dynamics and the relationship between federal Executive power and Legislative branches. Furthermore, we contend that paying attention to political-party divides within each ministry has been an overlooked dimension in the analyses of governmental processes and Brazilian coalition presidentialism. Nevertheless, it stands as a pivotal factor for success in navigating relations with the Legislature and identifying hurdles to effective governance of federal public policies.