Between reform and attack: Court-curbing and delegitimizing pressures against Brazil’s Supreme Court

Fabiana Oliveira

doi:10.35295/osls.iisl.2524

Autores

Fabiana Oliveira Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Department of Sociology https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2324-0106

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35295/osls.iisl.2524

Palavras-chave:

Brazil's Supreme Court, court-curbing, reform, attacks, impeachment

Resumo

Este artigo analisa as estratégias de restrição judicial direcionadas ao Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF) entre 2019 e 2022, período marcado por intensa polarização política e crescente legalismo autocrático. O estudo distingue reformas e críticas compatíveis com a responsabilização democrática de ataques antiliberais voltados à erosão da legitimidade do Tribunal e à restrição de sua autoridade. Com base em pesquisa documental, o artigo mapeia e classifica tanto iniciativas formais (propostas de emenda constitucional e pedidos de impeachment) quanto informais (ataques retóricos e críticas veiculadas na mídia). Os resultados indicam que, embora algumas iniciativas tenham permanecido dentro dos limites do dissenso institucional legítimo, a maioria funcionou como instrumento de erosão institucional, combinando ofensivas legislativas de baixa viabilidade com agressões simbólicas de alto impacto. Em um ambiente polarizado, o STF tornou-se alvo central de esforços contínuos de deslegitimação que fragilizaram o apoio público difuso e específico. O caso brasileiro evidencia o paradoxo mais amplo dos tribunais sob pressão: a visibilidade amplia a autoridade, mas também aumenta a vulnerabilidade.

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Biografia do Autor

Fabiana Oliveira, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Department of Sociology

Associate Professor.

Research Productivity Fellow of the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).

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