History of Brazil (1985–present)

Brazilian history from 1985 to the present, also known as the Sixth Brazilian Republic or New Republic, is the contemporary epoch in the history of Brazil, beginning when civilian government was restored after a 21-year-long military dictatorship established after the 1964 coup d'état. The negotiated transition to democracy reached its climax with the indirect election of Tancredo Neves by Congress. Neves belonged to the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (MDB), the former controlled opposition to the military regime. He was the first civilian president to be elected since 1964.

Neves was set to take over from general João Figueiredo, the last of the military presidents appointed by their predecessor. The transition was hailed as the dawn of a New Republic (Nova República) in contrast with Old Republic (República Velha), the first epoch of the Brazilian Republic, from 1889 until 1930. It became synonymous with the contemporary phase of the Brazilian Republic and the political institutions established in the wake of the country's re-democratization.

President-elect Tancredo Neves fell ill on the eve of his inauguration and could not attend it. His running mate, José Sarney, was inaugurated as vice president and served in Neves' stead as acting president. As Neves died without having ever taken the oath of office, Sarney then succeeded to the presidency. The first phase of the New Republic, ranging from the inauguration of José Sarney in 1985 until the inauguration of Fernando Collor in 1990, is often considered a transitional period as the 1967–1969 constitution remained in effect, the executive still had veto powers, and the president was able to rule by decree. The transition was considered definitive after Brazil's current constitution, drawn up in 1988, entered full effect in 1990.

In 1986, elections were called for a National Constituent Assembly that would draft and adopt a new Constitution for the country. The Constituent Assembly began deliberations in February 1987 and concluded its work on 5 October 1988. Brazil's current Constitution was promulgated in 1988 and completed the democratic institutions. The new Constitution replaced the authoritarian legislation that still remained from the military regime.

In 1989 Brazil held its first elections for president by direct popular ballot since the 1964 coup. Fernando Collor won the election and was inaugurated on 15 March 1990, as the first president elected under the 1988 Constitution.

Since then, seven presidential terms have elapsed, without rupture to the constitutional order:

• the first term was served by presidents Collor and Itamar Franco. Collor was impeached on charges of corruption in 1992 and resigned the presidency, being succeeded by Itamar Franco, his vice president;
• the second and third terms corresponded to Fernando Henrique Cardoso's administration, from 1995 to 2002;
• in the fourth and fifth presidential terms Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva served as president, from 2003 to 2010;
• the sixth term was Dilma Rousseff's first administration, from 2011 to 2014;
• the seventh term was started following Rousseff's 2014 reelection. Her second term was due to end in 2018, but in 2016, she was impeached based on accusations for violations of budget and fiscal responsibility laws. Her vice-president, Michel Temer, succeeded her on 31 August 2016.
• the eighth term was Jair Bolsonaro's administration, from 2019 to 2022;
• the ninth and current term is Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's third term as president, expected to last from 2023 to 2026.