Speak that I Hear You: Parliamentary Ombudsman and Its Democratic Potential

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The object of study of the article are the ombudsman’s offices of the Brazilian state legislatures. In total, 13 legislative assemblies, in addition to the Legislative Chamber of the Federal District.

Methods

The research consisted in examining the institutional design of legislative assemblies that adopt the ombudsman’s office through formal resolutions, acts of creation, decrees, and so on. An analysis was also made of how the ombudsmen are positioned in the respective sites of these legislative powers, and the availability of information about this mechanism and possibility of interaction. Finally, a case study was made in the Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais to understand how the ombudsman is located in the work of the legislature, and the actors relevant to the performance of his function, through interviews with members of staff and deputies who exercised the activity of ombudsman.

Results

The motivation for the creation of the Ombudsman’s Office aimed to pass an image of greater institutional credibility before the society, and less for the materiality of its actions in itself. Through the case study it was verified that the adoption of this mechanism is due to symbolic issues, since the ombudsman’s name has greater force before the citizens. Focusing on the participatory practices for those mobilized – those with more participatory predisposition and involvement with the topic to be debated – generated the repetition of these civil entities in different institutional events.

Discussion

The role of the ombudsman in the legislature is not yet institutionalized, compared to the executive ombudsman’s offices, which are very focused on improving the public service. The legislative ombudsman has little technical and political autonomy, and its importance for social control and accountability is still limited.

KEYWORDS:
political participation; parliamentary ombudsman; institutional design; accountability; social control