The rejection of the name of the Union’s attorney general, Jorge Messias, for the Federal Supreme Court (STF) was interpreted by members of the Court, in a reserved capacity, as a political message from the Senate to the court and an indication of the correlation of forces currently established in Congress. For this wing, the result shows that the current legislative majority is capable of creating difficulties for the Supreme Court and, in a possible even more tense political scenario, moving forward on the permanence of ministers, in reference to the possibility of impeachment processes.
In the opinion of ministers interviewed under reserve, the outcome also exposes a political defeat for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and reflects the decisive role of the President of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP), in the formation of the majority contrary to the nominee.
Alcolumbre, according to reports, acted directly to consolidate votes among right-wing parliamentarians and influence the final score.
The reading in the STF is that, while the president of the Senate made a personal effort to block the nomination, Planalto failed in political articulation. Lula would not have negotiated directly with Alcolumbre and left the management in the hands of intermediaries, which weakened Messias’ candidacy at the decisive moment.
Since the STF vacancy was opened with the early retirement of Luís Roberto Barroso, in October 2025, Alcolumbre expressed opposition to Lula’s preference for the name Messias, and defended that the nomination should go to senator Rodrigo Pacheco (PSB-MG).
The result surprised part of the court, also according to ministers interviewed by GLOBO. The expectation among the magistrates was a tight approval, but the final score — with 42 votes against and 34 in favor — was interpreted as an attempt to demonstrate political strength by the Senate and as a message to the Supreme Court.
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The defeat was also read as a setback for minister André Mendonça, who had been actively involved in articulating in favor of Messias. Interlocutors claim that he was one of the main guarantors of the nomination within the Court.
In 2021, when he was nominated by former president Jair Bolsonaro, Mendonça faced open resistance from Alcolumbre and had the hearing held for more than four months.
The episode takes place in the midst of an already tense environment between the Supreme Court and the Senate. In recent days, decisions and statements by ministers — especially in relation to the actions of CPIs and the use of confidential information — have contributed to straining relations with parliamentarians.
The internal assessment is that the result of the vote also expresses this accumulated discomfort and a movement towards affirmation by the Legislature in the dispute between the Powers.
The understanding is that the outcome changes the political environment around the Supreme Court and could encourage new attacks against the court.
In a reserved capacity, a minister assessed that the result could have a direct effect on the future of the Court. According to him, a majority aligned to the right is currently capable of blocking nominations to the STF and, in a different political scenario, could move forward on the permanence of ministers, in reference to the possibility of impeachment proceedings.
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