Approval of Public Policies and the Legislative Process: The experience of the Pronatec Law in the Legislative Branch

The institutional arrangement that has existed since the 1988 Constitution has given the executive branch a way of getting its matters approved, using the agenda-setting powers typical of Brazilian coalition presidentialism. The regimental power of the leadership and the internal commissions make it possible to rationalise discussions and obtain specialised analysis of matters. Existing research shows that the impact of the executive branch and party leaderships on the approval of laws is significant. Pronatec is seen as an important public policy for the country due to its potential to transform production conditions and the quality of workers' integration into the labour market. With regard to the process of passing this law, the question arises as to how it was passed and the relationship and actions of the players involved. The relationship between the Executive and Legislative branches, as well as the Brazilian presidential coalition model, are analysed based on the legislative process of approving a public policy for professional and technological education, in this case, the Bill that instituted PRONATEC in 2011.