Catholic Electoral League

The League Eleitoral Católica (LEC ) ( German Catholic Electoral League ) was a Catholic electoral alliance in Brazil, which has set up candidates for election in 1933 to the Constituent Assembly.

Historical Context

The growing authoritarianism of President Getúlio Dornelles Vargas led to the Constitutionalist Revolt in the state of São Paulo. Although this failed, but she forced Vargas to convene a Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution for the country. The Catholic Church saw the opportunity here came to achieve better conditions after they became very disadvantaged in the Constitution of 1891.

Work

Plinio Correa de Oliveira, Alceu Amoroso Lima and Heitor da Silva Costa, leading figures of the very strong Brazilian Catholicism in the 1920s and 1930s, then founded, with great support of the episcopate, especially by the Cardinal Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Sebastião Leme da Silveira Cintra, the league Eleitoral Católica. At the elections of May 3, 1933 stood as candidates, candidates in multi-party lists. Several of its candidates were elected. First President of the Electoral League was Dr. Estêvão Ribeiro de Sousa Resende ( Souza Rezende in the former spelling). Other MPs were among others Alceu Amoroso Lima, Plinio Correa de Oliveira and Waldemar Falcão Cromwell do Rego, who later became Minister of Labour under Getúlio Vargas. Most important publication for the opinions of the LEC during the meeting time was the Catholic weekly newspaper O Legionário, semi-official organ of the Archdiocese of São Paulo.

The Constituent Assembly was held from November 15, 1933 The aim of the Catholic Electoral League was to enforce a set of minimum requirements. Indissolubility of marriage, religious education in schools and religious care of the armed forces and prisoners. This, as well as other demands, such as the mention of God in the Verfassungspräambel, government support for large family, among others, were included in the new constitution that came into force on 16 July 1934.

Formally existed league Eleitoral Católica until 1937. In the 1937 Constitution, which reached demands of the Electoral League were generally maintained. For elections on 2 December 1945 after the ousting of President Vargas, she organized again, but could not build on the earlier successes.