From a grassroots party to a party of order.
The party of internal democracy has become a predictable party in which the alternation of power is increasingly questioned by the very process of choosing its leaders.
The Workers' Party (PT) was founded promising broad participation of its members in the internal decision-making process. And that's how it began. The decision not to participate in the indirect election that made Tancredo Neves president of the Republic originated from a veto by the party base, against the wishes of a large part of the PT's parliamentarians.
This week's internal election reveals profound changes. The direct participation of Lula and party heavyweights in summoning affiliated voters; the leadership almost exclusively in the hands of professional politicians; the abstention rate, which in Rio de Janeiro was well over 50%; and the widespread criticism from leaders about a grueling, fratricidal, and unparticipatory process indicate that the party of direct participation is transforming into a party of order. Just another pro-government party.
The party, which was based on so-called grassroots groups, now has a parliamentarian at its helm who managed to get re-elected with 70% of the vote, demonstrating a significant internal imbalance. It's worth noting that Rui Falcão was never the most popular leader within the PT (Workers' Party).
Even so, as part of a majority faction, with the backing of key leaders, it achieves this overwhelming victory. The party of internal democracy has become a predictable party in which the alternation of power is increasingly questioned by the very process of choosing its leaders.
* This is an opinion article, the responsibility of the author, and does not reflect the opinion of Brasil 247.