The House of Representatives’ bench decided to leave the government base () and discuss alternative candidacies for the 2026 presidential election following the departure of the Ministry of Social Security.
Under pressure in the government due to the scandal of fraud in the (National Institute of Social Security), Lupi resigned last Friday (2).
To his place, Lula named Wolney Queiroz, which was his number 2 in the folder. The party treats the choice as the president, as it was not consulted about the replacement.
“Right now we are putting ourselves in independence position,” said PDT leader in the House, Mario Heringer (MG). “The PDT in the previous election has offered an alternative to the presidency and we think we can also offer alternative to 2026,” said the parliamentarian.
In 2022, the PDT launched the presidency, which was fourth, with only 3% of the valid votes. The acronym supported Lula in the second round.
The decision to leave the government base was taken at a meeting of party deputies with Lupi on Tuesday morning (6). Ciro did not participate in the meeting.
The minister (PT), of SRI (Secretariat of Institutional Relations), has already talked to Heringer on Monday and intends to meet the whole bench in the coming days to try to reverse the position.
Although Lupi and Wolney are from the PDT, the exchange bothered the party, which argues that the former minister is not quoted in the Federal Police (PF) and Union General Comptroller (CGU) investigation into INSS fraud.
Lupi also openly disagreed with Lula in arguing that former INSS president Alessandro Stefanutto should not leave office after the police operation.
Unlike the former minister, however, Stefanutto was the target of the PF operation. He denies the accusations.
Despite leaving the government base, PDT deputies say that the stance will not be opposed, but supporting projects of interest to the country and, especially, to the agenda defended by the center-left. In the WhatsApp group of the bench, the version that they will stop voting with the government was contested.
The idea is to repeat the position of other acronyms that have positions on the Esplanade, but say they are independent and do not officially make up the government base, such as André Fufuca in the Ministry of Sports – – with Celso Sabino (Tourism), Waldez Goes (Integration) and Siqueira Filho (communications) – and —Sigla de Silvio and Airports).
These acronyms, especially União Brasil, usually vote along with the government in economic projects, but also help opposition to, for example, to get signatures for the CPI (Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry) of the House in the House or approve projects of the customs agenda in Congress.
On the other hand, these three acronyms have right -wing ideological profile, while the PDT, historically, is leftist.
Heringer said the decision to be independent will change the party’s stance in the voting. If before the acronym adheres 100% to government projects without question, they will now be discussed on a case by case basis and divergences will be authorized.
“In such a case, from now on, it will be easier for us to say: the bench is released, each one does what he pleases,” he said.
“We remain based on the government towards macro discussions, but we began a reflection on 2026 and the political relationship with the PT in the states,” said Deputy Dorinaldo Malafaia (PDT-AP).
