Brazil has had seven constitutions. The 1988 constitution grants broad powers to the federal government, made up of Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. The President holds office for four years, with the right to re-election for an additional four-year term, and appoints his or her own cabinet.

Politics of Brazil takes place in a framework of a federal presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Brazil is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system.

Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the National Congress. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Brazil is divided into 26 states, one Federal District and over 5,500 municipalities.

Fifteen political parties are represented in Congress. It is common for politicians to switch parties, and thus the proportion of congressional seats held by particular parties changes regularly.

The current president is Dilma Rousseff who was inaugurated on January 1, 2011.