ALLOCATION OF INDIVIDUAL PARLIAMENTARY AMENDMENTS: CORRECTION OF ASYMMETRY IN HEALTH OR POLITICAL GAIN?

Amongst the parliamentary amendments there are individual amendments (EPI), which present themselves as an opportunity for the Representatives to benefit regions with greater needs, especially in health, as well as to privilege their electoral stronghold, in order to guarantee political survival. Thus, this article aims to identify which indicators, health needs or political gain, favor the indication of EPI for health (EPIs). For this purpose, a multiple linear regression was carried out with panel data for the Brazilian municipalities that raised funds via EPIs, in the period 2012-2018. As a main result, it was identified that the allocation of EPIs is driven by the combination of technical factors, considering health needs of the municipalities, and political factors. As proposed by the Public Choice Theory, Representatives and voters seek to maximize their interests, the latter, throughout local policies and, the former, staying in power, with political networks being very important in this process. However, in order to improve the conditions of the public health system, it becomes important, in the allocation of EPIs, a greater commitment to technical factors.

Keywords:
Individual Parliamentary Amendments; Health need; Political gain; Pork barrel.