Brazil’s Senate Elects New President Today

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Monday, February 1st, Senators will convene to decide who will lead the Upper House of Congress for the next two years. Elections for the successor to current president Davi Alcolumbre (DEM-AP) are scheduled to take place from 2 PM, in person, through a secret vote.

Five senators are running for the position: Jorge Kajuru (Cidadania-GO), Lasier Martins (Podemos-RS), Major Olimpio (PSL-SP), Rodrigo Pacheco (DEM-MG) and Simone Tebet (MDB-MS). Short biographies of each are at the end of this post.

According to the Senate Rules of Procedure, the candidate securing a “majority of votes, representing a majority of the Senate membershp,” will be elected. Thus, in order to be elected, the candidate will need to have at least 41 votes out of 81 senators. If no candidate obtains a majority in the first round of voting there will be a second round with two candidates.

The dispute is divided between Senators Simone Tebet and Rodrigo Pacheco. Tebet’s candidacy was launched on January 12th by her party MDB. In addition to her party’s votes, the Senator has the backing of Senators from some other parties such as PSDB, Cidadania and Podemos. If elected, Tebet would be the first woman to head the Senate.

Rodrigo Pacheco’s candidacy was formalized on January 19th. In addition to his party DEM, the Senator is formally backed by the PDT, PL, PROS, PT, PP, PSD, PSC and Republicanos parties. Pacheco is widely regarded as the front-runner and is expected to win on the first ballot.

In addition to the president and first and second vice-presidents, four secretaries and four deputy secretaries will be elected. In the first session, legislators will decide on the new Senate president. Later, they will reconvene to determine the other members of the Board. The mandate Senate officers is for two years, and reelection for the immediately following term is forbidden.

The candidates (in first-name alphabetical order):

Jorge Kajuru (Cidadania-GO)

Radio host, native of Cajuru (SP). Elected city councilor of Goiânia in 2016. In 2018, Kajuru was elected to the Senate. He is the head of the Committees of Economic Affairs (CAE) and Social Affairs (CAS).

Lasier Martins (Podemos-RS)

An attorney and journalist from General Câmara (RS), he was elected Senator in 2014. He is currently the second vice-president of the Senate, a position he had in 2019. Among other Committees, he serves on those for Economic Affairs, Education, Culture and Sports, and Environment.

Major Olimpio (PSL-SP)

A State Police officer, born in Presidente Venceslau (SP), he was elected state deputy for São Paulo in 2010. In 2014, he was elected federal deputy. He was elected to the Senate in 2018. He serves on the Committees for Economic Affairs (CAE), Constitution and Justice (CCJ) and the Parliamentary Ethics Council.

Rodrigo Pacheco (DEM-MG)

Attorney, born in Porto Velho (RO). He served a term as a federal deputy for Minas Gerais (2015-2019) and was president of the Constitution and Justice Committee of the Chamber of Deputies. In 2018 he was elected to the Senate. He serves on the Committees for Economic Affairs (CAE), Constitution and Justice (CCJ) and Transparency and Governance (CTFC).

Simone Tebet (MDB-MS)

Attorney, native of Três Lagoas (MS). Elected to the Senate in 2014. In 2002, she was elected state deputy. In 2004, she was elected Mayor of the municipality of Três Lagoas and reelected in 2008. She served as vice-governor of Mato Grosso do Sul, in the administration of then-governor André Puccinelli, in 2011. She serves on the Committee of Constitution and Justice (CCJ) and the Permanent Joint Committee to Fight Violence Against Women (CMCVM).