The president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silvsaid this Thursday that he would like the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddadwas a candidate for São Paulo in the 2026 elections, but cannot impose it on any of his ministers. Despite this impasse, Lula once again defended that his government needed a “strong candidate” in São Paulo.
“Haddad has the age of majority and his biography to decide what he wants to do in 2026. I would like Haddad to be a candidate in 2026. It is impossible to imagine a person like Haddad leaving the Treasury and going home (after the elections). I will talk to Haddad and (Geraldo) Alckmin about 2026 and I would like to know what they want to be. We need a strong candidate for the government of São Paulo and the Senate of São Paulo, but I cannot impose anyone’s candidacy,” Lula declared during a breakfast with journalists at the Palácio do Planalto.
Lula was asked about this because, recently, Haddad suggested that he preferred to act as Lula’s campaign coordinator rather than run for government against Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos-SP).
The president also commented on the various ministers who will leave the government from April 2026, when the period of disqualification of those who hold public office and intend to run for elections ends.
“When 2026 starts, I will call the ministers who will leave (the positions) to be candidates and decide what they want to do. There is a flood of ministers who will leave (in April), there could be 18 (in total). As the ministers leave, I will see who I will put in the portfolios,” he mused.
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