Migra??o Partidária na Camara dos Deputados de 1987 a 2009

摘要

This study analyzes the phenomenon of switching party affiliations in Brazil,taking a different approach from that traditionally adopted. Rather thaninquiring into the intentions of the migrating legislators, I attempt tounderstand party-switching as a whole, seeking to grasp how the collectiveactors (in this case the political parties) use party switches to increase theirpower in the parliamentary and electoral arenas. By focusing on the momentsin which party switches occur, it is possible to perceive the benefits derived bypolitical parties whenever new members join their ranks.