Michel Temer ascended to the Brazilian presidency in 2016 following the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, having served as her vice president since 2011. His transition from the legislative branch to the nation's highest executive office concluded a career defined by decades of parliamentary maneuvering and legal practice within the Brazilian political establishment.
Early Development and Legal Studies
Born in Tietê in 1940 to Lebanese immigrants, Temer pursued an education in the humanities rather than hard sciences. He enrolled at the University of São Paulo Law School in 1959, beginning a long association with the field of jurisprudence. He eventually earned a Doctor of Juridical Science, which provided the academic foundation for his later career as a professor of constitutional and civil law at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo.
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Temer entered national politics in 1987, beginning a series of consecutive terms as a federal deputy for São Paulo. During his time in the Chamber of Deputies, he participated in the 1988 constituent assembly that drafted the current Constitution of Brazil. He held the presidency of the chamber on three occasions between 1997 and 2010, leveraging his position as a leader of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party to influence national policy.
Executive Leadership
As president from 2016 to 2018, Temer advocated for a government focused on national salvation. His administration prioritized structural reforms, specifically targeting labor laws and the pension system to address public spending. Despite his stated objectives, his presidency faced significant public opposition, with approval ratings reaching 7% in 2017. He did not seek reelection in the 2018 general election.
Authorship and Intellectual Pursuits
Beyond his political activities, Temer authored several works on constitutional law, most notably Elements of Constitutional Law, published in 1982. This text sold over 240,000 copies and emphasized the separation of powers. Later in life, he expanded his writing to include poetry, publishing the collection Anonymous Intimacy in 2013, which contained verses composed during his frequent travels between São Paulo and Brasília.
Fast facts
- Born: 1940, Tietê, Brazil
- President of Brazil: 2016–2018
- Vice President of Brazil: 2011–2016
- Academic Degree: Doctor of Juridical Science
- Political Party: Brazilian Democratic Movement Party
- Notable Publication: Elements of Constitutional Law
- Language: Portuguese
- Awards: Knight of the Legion of Honour
Questions readers ask
Did Michel Temer serve a full presidential term?
No, he served from 2016 to 2018, completing the remainder of Dilma Rousseff's second term.
What subjects did Temer teach at the university level?
He taught constitutional law and civil law at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo.
Achievements
- Knight of the Legion of Honour
- National Order of Merit
- Educated at Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Law School, University of São Paulo and University of São Paulo
- Worked as politician, lawyer and poet
