Lula suffers defeat in Senate elections with loss of key allies

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) suffered a defeat in the elections for the Federal Senate this Sunday (4). At least 16 candidates supported by the PT member lost in the electoral race. (See list below)

This year, two thirds of the senatorial seats were contested, the equivalent of 54 seats in the Senate — two for each of the 26 states and two for the Federal District. The house

In March of this year, ministers from the Lula government left their positions to run for office in the elections. The president appointed his main assistants to contest the elections and help him obtain votes in the states or to try to prevent the opposition from electing many senators.

This movement was made by former ministers Celso Sabino (PDT), Gleisi Hoffmann (PT), Simone Tebet (PSB) and Marina Silva (Rede), but without success. After the completion of the counting of votes in Pará, Paraná and São Paulo, respectively, they were not elected to a seat in the National Congress.

The PL, the party of senator and presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro (PL), Lula's main opponent, had elected 19 senators until the last update of this report.

After the revelations of connections between Court ministers and former banker Daniel Vorcaro, arrested in the Master bank scandal, the possibility of impeachment of a STF judge, a prerogative of the Senate, became an electoral flag for candidates in the states.

The topic is mainly explored by candidates allied with Flávio Bolsonaro, whose main target is minister Alexandre de Moraes.

The opposition filed numerous requests for impeachment, and they all ended up in the same place: the drawer of the president of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP).

This Sunday, Bolsonarism managed to do a "double" in several states with candidates who spoke against the Federal Supreme Court (STF). It was the case of:

Rio Grande do Sul, where Marcel Van Hatten (Novo) and Sanderson (PL) were elected;

Santa Catarina, with the election of Carlos Bolsonaro (PL) and Carol de Toni (PL);

Paraná, Filipe Barros (PL) and Deltan Dallagnol (Novo) were elected;

Rio de Janeiro, with Carlos Portinho (PL) and Carlos Jordy (PL);

Federal District, with Michelle Bolsonaro (PL) and Bia Kicis (PL).

São Paulo, Guilherme Derrite (PP) and André do Prado (PL) were elected in a defeat by Lula's former ministers, Marina Silva (Rede) and Simone Tebet (PSB).

Throughout the campaign, President Lula expressed concern about being able to establish a strong base in the Senate and reinforced in his speeches that one of the objectives for this year's elections was to form a majority in Congress. According to the PT member, because he has an eight-year mandate, the senator "thinks he is God."

Lula defended in interviews and rallies that it was possible to maintain a civilized relationship with governors because "the governor also needs the president of the Republic", but "a senator can create a lot of problems if he does not have a support base within the Senate."

Senators supported by Lula who lost in the dispute:

Acre: Jorge Viana (PT);

Federal District: Leila do Volei (PDT) and Erika Kokay (PT);

Rio Grande do Sul: Manuela D'Avila (PSOL) and Paulo Pimenta (PT);

Espirito Santo: Fabiano Contarato (PT);

Paraná: Gleisi Hoffmann (PT);

São Paulo: Simone Tebet (PSB) and Marina Silva (REDE);

Rio de Janeiro: Benedita da Silva (PT) and Pedro Paulo (PSOL);

Alagoas: Renan Calheiros (MDB);

Amapá: Randolfe (PT);

Pará: Celso Sabino (PDT);

Maranhão: Eliziane Gama (PT);

Tocantins: Paulo Mourão (PT).

Dome of the Federal Senate and the National Congress building during dawn. — Photo: Pedro França/Agência Senado