The Council of Ministers in the Empire of Brazil: Preliminary notes

Abstract

During the Empire of Brazil, the relationship between the Emperor (who had moderating power and was the head of State) and its Ministerial body was marked by tensions related to the attributions and limits of authority of them in the political sphere. The meaning of a position as President of the Council of Ministers, created in 1847, is discussed. The argument presented here is that this new function, and the fact that rules for its functioning were not defined, favored the establishment of political alliances, strengthening of links and different interpretations of the parliamentary system during the Empire.