This article discusses the Brazilian experience of the Health Councils. At first, it reviews the literature concerning factors that contribute to the "democratic legitimacy" of these experiences. Next, it presents results of a study made with Local Health Councils of the 31 subdistricts of the city of São Paulo. In the conclusion, it discusses the relative importance of different factors identified by this literature as keys to establish the democratic legitimacy of these "new democratic spaces".
Health Councils; São Paulo; democratic legitimacy; democratic spaces
