 In the early 1980s the military government started a process of gradual political opening, called "abertura", the final goal of which was democracy.When the term of the last military president was to end, however, no direct elections for President of Brazil took place.For the election of the country's first civilian president since the military coup of 1964, the military maintained the rule that prevailed during the dictatorial regime, according to which an Electoral College made up of the entire National Congress and Representatives from State Assemblies was to elect the President.