The World - News from March 23, 1988

In a major victory for President Jose Sarney, Brazil’s Constituent Assembly voted 344-212 to retain the country’s system of a strong executive presidency. Sarney, a conservative leader, led the fight against advocates of a parliamentary system, which would have effectively placed power in the hands of a prime minister. The vote was part of the Constituent Assembly’s work on a new constitution to seal Brazil’s return to democracy. The size of the majority favoring a presidential system surprised political observers, since just two weeks ago backers of the presidential system forecast that the parliamentary system would prevail.