What is the structure of co-sponsorship networks among Brazilian cabinet members? Which members are the most central cosponsors in these networks? Does ideological heterogeneity affect the density of cosponsorship networks across cabinets? In order to address these questions, we examine every legislative bill/initiative originated by the executive branch from 1995 onward in the Brazilian legislature. Using network analysis techniques, we reveal patterns of cooperation and defection among cabinet members. We offer descriptive statistics of the cosponsorship networks and instructive visualizations of the networks to understand the roles of cabinet members in setting the legislative agenda. We then examine how cabinet member ideology influences the structure and density of the cosponsorship network. Finally, we explore ways that cosponsorship among cabinet members could help understand legislative success and failure in Brazil.
