Flávio Bolsonaro is building his presidential campaign around a platform that echoes much of his father’s agenda — but with a different approach to political alliances.
The senator from Rio de Janeiro has used speeches and interviews to outline proposals across eight policy areas. A compilation by Estadão found commitments on the economy, infrastructure, security, foreign policy, education, welfare, political reform, and government communications. A formal plan is in preparation, with economist Adolfo Sachsida among his advisers.
The economic agenda is the most developed. Flávio has pledged privatizations, broad spending cuts, a revision of Lula’s tax reform — which he says increased the burden on liberal professionals — and a reduction in the number of ministries from the current 38. He also wants to digitalize state services to attract foreign investment.
On infrastructure, he backs private-sector rail expansion connecting the Center-West to northern ports under a 50-year concession model introduced during his father’s presidency. On security, the priorities are prison construction, tougher sentencing, operations to reclaim territory held by criminal organizations, and looser firearms regulations.
In foreign policy, Flávio has called for closer alignment with Israel and a pragmatic, interest-driven approach to negotiations abroad. He has suggested brother Eduardo Bolsonaro could serve as an international envoy to attract investment.
The most notable departure from Jair Bolsonaro’s approach is coalition strategy. Flávio is actively courting the Centrão, the transactional congressional bloc his father clashed with, saying that winning the presidency without legislative support serves no purpose. He has also proposed ending presidential re-election and restoring private campaign financing.