In 1985, the arrival of José Sarney as president of the Republic marked the end of the military regime and the return of the Brazilian democratic regime. In this government, we have the organization of several new laws that should restore the freedoms and rights lost by thousands of Brazilian citizens. A large part of these laws were registered in the 1988 Constitution, which still ranks today as the most important set of laws in the country.
Already at that time we have the organization of new political parties. Previously, the military government only allowed the existence of two political parties and no one could found parties that defended ideas that threatened the current order. With the New Republic, parties of various ideological tendencies had the freedom to organize themselves, hold public demonstrations and dispute future elections.
This situation reinforced the return to democracy. After all, the democratic regime must be responsible for ensuring that different opinions and proposals have the right to demonstrate. In this way, citizens could vote and learn about different types of political ideals that were organized through parties. At the same time, the New Republic also allowed unions, neighborhood associations and cooperatives to guarantee the free organization of Brazilian citizens.
One of the most discussed points about democracy in the New Republic also focuses on the fact that voting is mandatory among citizens over the age of eighteen. For some, this requirement hurts the choice of Brazilians whether or not to participate in the choice of our politicians. However, after more than twenty years of dictatorship, mandatory voting may be a temporary necessity for the exercise of citizenship to return to the daily life of citizens.
In addition, the New Republic still had to face other challenges for us to become a real democracy. The concentration of income, the problems of the educational system, the increase in crime, corruption, the prejudice and the exploitation of the underprivileged are some of the many challenges of this time that still need to be resolved.
For this reason, we see that citizens must take very seriously their right to place the politicians who will exercise power. Each vote must represent a commitment to these issues that affect the country. Our councilors, deputies, senators, governors and president must exercise their positions equally committed to overcoming these problems that affect Brazilian society today.
By Rainer Gonçalves Sousa
Kids School Collaborator
Graduated in History from the Federal University of Goiás - UFG
Master in History from the Federal University of Goiás - UFG
