ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the dual nature of Brazilian federalism and the strengthening of subnational autonomy, as evidenced during the Covid-19 pandemic. On one hand, the crisis highlighted the importance of the federal government in the institutional arrangement of Brazilian federalism, which is highly centralised; on the other, it has provided greater scope for action by state governments, whose political power has gradually diminished over the 30 years since the 1988 Constitution came into being. Municipalities have also played a stronger role based on their local interest. To analyse those aspects, the chapter presents the constitutional design of the Brazilian federation and the public policies in health and disaster management to contain the pandemic, demonstrating that the intergovernmental relations generated by the very nature of federalism were indispensable in enabling Brazil to address the pandemic and so prevent worse outcomes in terms of public health. Additionally, the expanded autonomy of states and municipalities during the pandemic, due to a Supreme Court decision, was fundamental to the struggle against the denialism of the President Jair Bolsonaro, who neglected his federal responsibilities.
