Um partido em mutação: a transformação do PT e seus reflexos sobre as campanhas presidenciais (1989-2002).

Abstract

Under a sartorian perspective, we characterized the Brazilian Workers Party (PT) as an anti-system party until the middle of the 90´s, because in some of their actions the party s objective was to cause symbolic impacts that could unlegitimize the Brazilian political system. Using the Panebianco s theoretical model, we try to explain how PT processed the institutional changes that made the party leaves gradually its anti-systemic character, making it possible its approach in relation to the centrist political forces that became clear in the presidential electoral campaign in 2002. Such migration toward the center nominated by political variable, and the quest for more competitiveness in a competitiveness variable were essential for the 2002 electoral campaign s modernization when Lula conquered the Presidency. This modernization was verified by an comparative cases study which compared this with the 1989 electoral campaign, very close to the non-modernized polo, according to un archetype constructed by Mancini and Swanson; the electoral campaigns analyzed represented reflections of the party s mutation.