PT national president Edinho Silva is looking for PDT leaders to forge alliances in three states considered priorities by the party. The movement seeks to renew the partnership between the two acronyms during the 2026 elections, after a period of shock with the dismissal of the president of the PDT, Carlos Lupi, from the Ministry of Social Security, against a backdrop of the INSS scandal.
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A sign that relations were shaken after the affair, in the first half of the year, the PDT headquarters in the Chamber even announced its departure from Lula’s government base. Despite this, Lupi’s interlocutors believe that support for Lula’s re-election is on track. The parties, however, operate separately in Minas, Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul, three states considered strategic by the queerists.
For the Gaucho government, the PDT announced the precandidacy of former state deputy Juliana Brizola, granddaughter of former governor Leonel Brizola. The PT gives priority to the launch of the current president of the National Supply Company (Conab), Edegar Pretto.
At an event in the state, Edinho said he would seek a “broad dialogue” with the queer and that he recognized “her political strength.” Pretto’s allies, in turn, deny that he is abandoning his candidacy. The hypothesis of a ticket with the PT and the PDT also clashes with the insistence of both sides to lead the alliance.
— There’s no way Juliana will be vice president. We hope for reciprocity, because we will support the PT in Bahia, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Piauí, we will be together in most states. We hope for this recognition — says Lupi.
The negotiations also aim for the PT’s support for Alexandre Kalil, recently affiliated with the PDT, for the government of Minas; and Requião Filho, state deputy and PDT pre-candidate for the government of Paraná.
In Minas, the chances of an agreement increased after the PSD, the party of senator Rodrigo Pacheco, affiliated Vice Governor Mateus Simões, an opponent of the PT.
Pacheco is still Lula’s preferred name to lead his platform in the state, but he has said he has no plans to run for office, and the need to change parties to run makes that possibility even more remote.
In addition to discussing with Kalil — former mayor of Belo Horizonte and who has already been supported by Lula in 2022 — the PT is evaluating a composition in which the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, would run for the Senate. He is also currently affiliated with the PSD, the same party as Pacheco.
Edinho has built an alliance around Kalil, but there is resistance within the PT leadership in Minas. A wing of the party defends the composition with other names, such as the president of the Legislative Assembly of Minas, Tadeu Leite (MDB), or the former senator Clésio Andrade (PSB).
In Paraná, Requião Filho announced last week an agreement with PT member Enio Verri, current president of Itaipu Binacional, for the 2026 elections. The idea is that Verri takes one of the two Senate seats on offer and the PT member runs for government. Requião Filho was affiliated with the PT until earlier this year, but he and his father, former governor Roberto Requião, left the party due to friction with the national leadership.
As O GLOBO reported last Thursday, discussions are still underway to welcome another wing of PT Paraná, led by deputy Zeca Dirceu, to the list.
Contacted by the report, Edinho Silva did not return contact.
The creation of the alliance with the PT caused, within the PDT, the disaffiliation of former minister Ciro Gomes, who preferred to remain in opposition to Lula’s party in Ceará.
Ciro also criticized what he called the “frying” of Lupi, president of the PDT, after the INSS crisis. Although he was not among those investigated by the Federal Police, which is investigating a system of fraudulent reductions in pensions, Lupi suffered from attrition for having named the former director of the INSS, Alessandro Stefanutto, arrested this month by the PF on suspicion of having received bribes.
Understanding Litigation by State
- Rio Grande do Sul – The PDT presented the former deputy Juliana Brizola, granddaughter of Leonel Brizola, as a pre-candidate for the government, and excludes giving up the head of the list in an alliance with the PT — which, in turn, does not renounce having the president of CONAB, Edegar Pretto, as candidate for governor.
- Minas Gerais – Newly affiliated with the PDT, Alexandre Kalil has already received a positive signal from the president of the PT, Edinho Silva, for an alliance. There is, however, resistance within the PT directorate in Minas, which prefers other compositions. Lula has already expressed his preference to support Rodrigo Pacheco, who denies being a candidate.
- Parana – Last week, PED member Requião Filho — who left the PT in a fight earlier this year — announced a deal with Enio Verri (PT), who is expected to be the Senate candidate on his list. Discussions are still underway to try to accommodate another wing of the state PT, led by Zeca Dirceu.
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