President’s aides Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) assess that the choice of substitute for minister Luiz Roberto Barrosowho announced his retirement this Thursday (9), it shouldn’t take long.
The Palácio do Planalto had already been informed that Barroso intended to bring forward his departure from the STF (Supreme Federal Court), and the succession process began to be discussed privately a few weeks ago.
With the departure confirmed, the Supreme Court will have ten ministers from next week, The expectation in Congress is that the president will forward the name in October, so that the hearing can take place before the parliamentary recess.
Barroso will turn 66 in March 2026 and could remain in office until he is 75, the age limit provided for by the Constitution.
According to interlocutors, he decided to bring forward his retirement for personal reasons and because he considered that he had already completed a cycle in court —
In Planalto, the strongest name today is that of the Union’s attorney general, Jorge Messias, a close ally of Lula and a central figure in the government’s legal agenda. Messias was deputy head of Legal Affairs at the Civil House during the Dilma government and participated in the president’s defense strategy in the Lava Jato cases.
Two other names are also mentioned behind the scenes: that of the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), seen as a political option capable of facilitating approval in Congress; and that of the minister of the TCU (Federal Audit Court), Bruno Dantas, who maintains good dialogue with different wings of the government and has already been considered for other opportunities for the Supreme Court.
Lula will make his third appointment to the STF since the beginning of his third term, Cristiano Zanin and Flávio Dino have already taken office.
