Migração Partidária na Câmara dos Deputados de 1987 a 2009

This study analyzes the phenomenon of switching party affiliations in Brazil, taking a different approach from that traditionally adopted. Rather than inquiring into the intentions of the migrating legislators, I attempt to understand party-switching as a whole, seeking to grasp how the collective actors (in this case the political parties) use party switches to increase their power in the parliamentary and electoral arenas. By focusing on the moments in which party switches occur, it is possible to perceive the benefits derived by political parties whenever new members join their ranks