A recent research programme carried out by the IADB and DFID has investigated in depth the political economy of the budget process in ten Latin American countries. At a time when the political challenges of public sector reform have come to the fore, the findings from this research study offer valuable lessons for other countries engaged in public expenditure management reform.

At this ODI event, Carlos Scartascini will provide an overview of the research framework and the main findings. Marcus Melo and Bernardo Mueller, both contributing authors to the study, will present a case study on the politics of the budget process in Brazil. David Booth will then discuss the policy implications for countries outside Latin America, as the starting point for an open discussion.

The event will bring together researchers, policy-makers and development practitioners from the fields of political science and public finance management. It is part of the ODI and DFID series Lessons from Latin America, which aims to explore some of the linkages between politics, the public sector and pro-poor policies in Latin America.