BRICS Parliaments: Forging Legislative Pathways in a Shifting World, With Brasília on the Horizon

BRICS Parliaments Unite: Exploring legislative ties, the upcoming Brasília 2025 Forum, and a potential BRICS parliamentary body.

The BRICS Parliamentary Forum has emerged as a vital platform for meaningful multilateralism and equitable development amid shifting global power dynamics. The upcoming 11th forum in Brasilia (June 3-5, 2025) marks a significant milestone during Brazil's presidency, strengthening bonds among an expanding coalition of Global South nations.

Brazil's 2025 rotating presidency elevates this meeting's importance, particularly following recent BRICS expansion and ongoing discussions about the forum's future, including the ambitious proposal for a dedicated parliamentary body.

The genesis of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum can be traced back to 2011, when parliamentary representatives from Brazil, Russia, India, and China first convened on the sidelines of the second G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit, an initiative sparked by Brazil. Recognizing the strategic importance of aligning legislative efforts with the executive-level cooperation within BRIC (later BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa in 2010), the parliamentarians acknowledged the necessity for a permanent consultative forum. This platform was envisioned as a space for exchanging legislative experiences, enhancing the work of lawmakers, and facilitating the domestication of BRICS agreements within their national legal frameworks. The idea gained further momentum in 2013 during a meeting of the BRICS heads of state in South Africa, solidifying the intent to establish a formal parliamentary dimension.

The inaugural BRICS Parliamentary Forum took place in Moscow in 2015 during Russia's BRICS Chairmanship. This marked a crucial step in institutionalizing inter-parliamentary dialogue within the BRICS framework. Between 2015 and 2023, nine parliamentary meetings were organized on a rotating basis. These annual gatherings addressed a broad spectrum of issues necessitating "parliamentary support", ranging from international security and the reform of the global financial system to cooperation in crucial sectors like healthcare, environment, science, and education. The forum's impact further extended with the establishment of specialized platforms like the BRICS Women Parliamentarians Forum (India, 2016) and the BRICS Young Parliamentarians' Forum (Russia, 2017). The 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum was recently held in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in July 2024, under the theme "Role of Parliaments in Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security".

The mission of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum is primarily to strengthen the BRICS strategic partnership through legislative engagement. It aims to increase legislative support for the three core pillars of BRICS cooperation: politics and security, economy and finance, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges. A key objective is to coordinate efforts in developing and strengthening inter-parliamentary relations among BRICS member states on issues of shared concern. This involves facilitating exchanges between heads of parliaments, international affairs committees, and parliamentary groups, as well as developing new mechanisms for inter-parliamentary cooperation and outlining their implementation. Furthermore, the forum seeks to facilitate economic growth, the exchange of information and innovations, and the sustainable development of BRICS nations.

The vision of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum is deeply embedded in the "BRICS spirit" of mutual respect and understanding, equality, solidarity, openness, inclusiveness, and consensus. A central tenet of this vision is the commitment to enhancing and improving global governance by advocating for a more agile, effective, representative, and accountable international and multilateral system. The forum champions greater and more meaningful participation of developing and least developed countries, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, in global decision-making processes. The BRICS Parliamentary Forum firmly upholds multilateralism and international law, especially the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations (UN), recognizing the UN's central role in maintaining global peace and security and advancing sustainable development. The forum also emphasizes the need for international cooperation in promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms based on equality and mutual respect, treating all human rights with the same emphasis and without double standards. Moreover, it actively addresses global challenges such as condemning terrorism in all its forms and expressing grave concern about the increasing threats posed by illicit drug trafficking. The forum also prioritizes the promotion of an open, secure, stable, accessible, and peaceful ICT environment.

The upcoming 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Brasília in June 2025 presents a significant juncture in the forum's evolution, carrying substantial positive geopolitical implications. Hosted by Brazil during its 2025 BRICS presidency, this will be the second parliamentary forum to include the newly expanded BRICS membership, which welcomed Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE in 2024 and Indonesia in 2025. This expansion underscores the growing influence and appeal of the BRICS framework as a platform for the Global South. The Brasília meeting, expected to draw up to 150 lawmakers from 31 legislative bodies representing BRICS members and partner countries, will serve as a crucial platform for these diverse voices to engage in legislative dialogue.

Brazil's priorities for its 2025 BRICS presidency, including strengthening global health cooperation, promoting fair and inclusive international trade, addressing climate change, and advancing artificial intelligence governance, align seamlessly with the forum’s overarching mission. The parliamentary forum will provide a vital avenue for lawmakers to exchange legislative best practices and coordinate their approaches on these critical global issues, offering parliamentary support for the initiatives championed by Brazil during its leadership year. The fact that this forum will precede the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro in July 2025 highlights its integral role in shaping the agenda and providing a legislative foundation for the heads of state's discussions.

A particularly intriguing aspect of the upcoming forum in Brasília is the potential progression of a significant proposal made at the previous forum. During the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Saint Petersburg in July 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted at the possibility of establishing a dedicated BRICS parliamentary body. He expressed his belief that "BRICS doesn't have its own parliamentary institution yet, but I believe it will happen soon". This suggestion signifies a potential deepening of BRICS institutionalization and could provide a more structured and influential platform for legislative cooperation. While Brazilian Senator Veneziano Vital do Rêgo acknowledged that the idea was still developing, the discussions in Brasília might offer further insights into the feasibility and potential structure of such a body. A BRICS Parliament could serve as a powerful mechanism for aligning legislative agendas, fostering greater political coordination, and amplifying the collective voice of BRICS nations on the global stage. This would be a significant step towards realizing Putin's vision of a new world order that better reflects contemporary realities.

In conclusion, the BRICS Parliamentary Forum has emerged as a crucial pillar in fostering multilateralism and South-South cooperation. Its history reflects a growing commitment to inter-parliamentary dialogue, its mission centers on providing legislative support for the BRICS agenda, and its vision champions a more equitable and inclusive global order. The upcoming 11th forum in Brasília in June 2025 holds significant promise. It will not only facilitate the integration of new BRICS members into the parliamentary framework but also provide a vital platform to advance Brazil's presidential priorities. Moreover, the Brasília meeting could offer further clarity on the ambitious proposal for a BRICS parliamentary body, potentially ushering in a new era of legislative collaboration within this influential global grouping and further solidifying its role in shaping a multipolar world.