Around 20 members of the government () are expected to leave their positions to run for public office across the country, as a way of reinforcing the PT’s base in the states. The number takes into account ministers who have already expressed their intention to step down from their positions and those who already hold public positions and may seek re-election.
Following the president’s guidance, ministers who are licensed deputies or senators must step aside from ministries to guarantee candidacies and electoral support for Lula in the states. If all departures are confirmed, the president should be without his hard core in government for
One of the direct requests made by Lula was for the Minister (Institutional Relations) for Paraná, who already requested it. Responsible for the government’s political articulation, Gleisi is a federal deputy licensed by PT-PR, and there was the expectation that she would seek re-election in the position. However, the PT member’s request was a request to the Senate.
Ministers must resign from their portfolios by April, on the eve of the electoral campaign.
Gleisi’s departure leaves political articulation during the campaign in an uncertain situation. Traditionally, ministers who leave office to run in elections leave the portfolio under the command of their executive secretary. The person occupying the position in Institutional Relations is Marcelo Costa. A career diplomat, he has a technical profile, but PT wings understand that the portfolio needs a political name, even during the election months.
Among the palace ministers, the PT member (Casa Civil) must also leave his position to run for the Senate. There is also a possibility, according to interlocutors, that Rui will run again for the Government of Bahia.
Along with them, (Secretariat of Communication) must also step aside, but to lead Lula’s campaign for re-election. The marketer was campaign manager in the last dispute, in 2022. Unlike the others, he should only leave in June.
(General Secretariat) must be one of the only ministers at Palácio do Planalto to remain in his position. Although he could run for re-election as federal deputy for -SP, he will remain in office until the end of his term, as he only took office last October.
Outside the Palace, 12 ministers must also step aside.
Among those who have already publicly confirmed that they will leave is (PT), from Igualdade Racial, who will try to be elected federal deputy for Rio de Janeiro for the first time. Seeking re-election, there is (PSOL), from Indigenous Peoples, as deputy for São Paulo and Carlos Fávaro (PSD), from Agriculture, as senator for Mato Grosso.
In addition to them, Jader Filho (MDB), from Cidades, has also declared that he should run for the Chamber for Pará. He is expected to leave his current position in March. They have also announced that André De Paula (PSD), from Fisheries, Silvio Costa Filho (Republicans), from Ports and Airports, and Waldez Góes (PDT), from Regional Development, will leave.
A possible candidate for re-election as deputy, the Minister of Labor, (PT), withdrew from running last December. In the announcement he made on social media, he states that he responded to the president’s request.
One of the main recent movements around the campaign is that of (Planning) who must join the campaign to run for the Senate in São Paulo.
Tebet’s name began to circulate as a possibility for both the Senate and the Government of São Paulo, if the Minister of Finance, (PT), became governor again.
The head of Finance has already confirmed his intention to leave the ministry, but has not confirmed whether he will enter the electoral race.
Tebet is from Mato Grosso do Sul and is currently affiliated with the MDB, which is why she ran for President in 2022. She would migrate to the PSB to guarantee a strong base for Lula in the state.
Along with her, the Minister of the Environment, (Rede), can also launch herself as senator for São Paulo.
Still in the state, the name of Geraldo Alckmin (PSB) had been considered to run for state government, but so far Lula’s intention is to keep him as vice-president in 2026, according to interlocutors.
Ministers such as Macaé Evaristo (Human Rights), (Education), André Fufuca (Sports), Wellington Dias (Social Development), Alexandre Silveira (Mine and Energy) are names that can also compete for positions in Congress or in state governments. Everyone has already stated that they are at the disposal of whatever Lula decides.
There are also cases of ministers willing to run for office but awaiting deliberation with the president, such as the PED member Wolney Queiroz (Pensions) and (Entrepreneurship), who intends to run for the Government of São Paulo for the PSB.
Emedebist Renan Filho (Transportes), in turn, has already confirmed his departure to run for the Government of Alagoas.
For Camilo, two perspectives circulate around his possible departure: working in Lula’s political articulation in the campaign or becoming governor of Ceará for the PT. In the latter case, however, there would be a need for agreement with Elmano de Freitas (PT), current governor who is seeking re-election.
Others who could still take part in the race are PT member Paulo Teixeira (Agrarian Development) and Luciana Santos (Science and Technology), from PC do B.
Other more technical career ministers must remain in government during the elections. They are: Mauro Vieira (Foreign Relations), Wellington Lima e Silva (Justice), Esther Dweck (Management and Innovation), Gustavo Feliciano (Tourism), Margareth Menezes (Culture) and José Múcio (Defense).
