Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This article analyzes the phenomenon of "laranja" (placeholder) candidacies in Brazilian politics as an expression of the gap between the formal rights achieved by women and authentic political representation. Starting from the historical milestone of 1932 and the institutionalization of gender quotas by Law No. 9.504/1997, it investigates how political parties instrumentalize female candidacies to access public resources and comply with legal formalities without transferring real power to women. It examines the profile of instrumentalized candidates, the insufficient action of oversight institutions, and the persistence of party machismo. It concludes that overcoming this scenario requires coordinated action among voters, parties, institutions, and civil society, so that female participation ceases to be merely formal and becomes effective — an indispensable condition for the quality of Brazilian democracy.
Author: Edmilson Dias Mendes
Institution: Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie
Language: English
Subfield: Gender Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7214924318