Discurso e poder dirigente: As eleições municipais de Limoeiro do Norte-CE na “Nova República” (1988-2016).

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the elections for mayor of the municipality of Limoeiro do Norte in the State of Ceará, which occurred after the second redemocratization of the country. Thus, the elections held between 1988 and 2016 were analyzed. Since its elevation to the village in 1873, Limoeiro has been politically dominated by only two groups, the Chaves from 1873 to 1955, and the Oliveiras from 1955, a fact that, among other social forces, such as the action of the Diocese, influenced the disputes for the municipal executive power that occurred in the postredemocratization. Therefore, these elections were analyzed taking as theoretical and methodological reference the studies referring to dialectical historical materialism, within the perspective of "total history", with emphasis on the concept of "ruling power" or "ruling groups" of the Italian Antonio Gramsci. The research showed that in these elections there were no opposition groups in political action, but that oppositions were formed circumstantially for each election. This was mainly due to the common political origin of their characters, as well as because they were socially similar.