Individual budget amendments spending: role of ministers, leadership positions and fiscal rules

Abstract:

The main objective of this paper is to analyze the factors that facilitate the allocation of pork barrel budget amendment in the Chamber of Deputy and to thus understand the mechanisms by which the executive branch obtains support of its legislative agenda. We confirm the hypothesis that argues that the allocation of these amendments is an important instrument that the federal government uses to guarantee support for its agenda, showing that deputies that are more loyal to the government have a higher allocation rate. We also show the importance of cabinet positions, deputies are more successful if their pork barrel amendments go to ministries that are controlled by their own political party. Finally, analyzing all stages of the allocation of these resources we show a strong bias that favors a parliamentary elite, which confirms the strong centralization of power in the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies.

Keywords:
budget amendments; coalition presidentialism; political parties; pork barrel politics