Politics · Brazil · 4 hrs ago
STF allies urge Lula to name Barroso’s successor even if he loses election
A group of Brazil’s Supreme Court justices close to Alexandre de Moraes and Gilmar Mendes wants President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to nominate someone for the vacancy left by Luís Roberto Barroso.
They want him to do so even if he loses the presidential re-election race.
The group sees a new appointment as a way to shift the balance of views on the court, which is facing political pressure.
Former senator Rodrigo Pacheco, now a member of the Federal Court of Accounts, remains a leading candidate.
The debate comes as some politicians discuss impeaching Supreme Court justices from 2027.
Senator Rogério Marinho has proposed changing Senate rules so that a request signed by 49 senators could be opened without the Senate president’s approval.
The justices’ group does not believe support for impeachment alone would be enough to remove a justice, and two possible paths are being discussed: cooperation between a future Flávio Bolsonaro government and the court, or Moraes leaving the court before an impeachment process begins.
A group of Supreme Court justices close to Alexandre de Moraes and Gilmar Mendes wants President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to name a successor to Luís Roberto Barroso even if Lula loses the election.
The group believes a nomination could temporarily rebalance the court’s forces amid political pressure on it.
Former senator Rodrigo Pacheco, now a minister on the Federal Court of Accounts, remains a strong candidate for the seat.
The debate comes as politicians discuss the possibility of impeaching Supreme Court justices from 2027.
The justices say they have received positive signals from people close to presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro about institutional dialogue under a possible new government.
- Who
- A group of Supreme Court justices close to Alexandre de Moraes and Gilmar Mendes is urging President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to make the nomination.
- What
- The group wants Lula to name a successor to Luís Roberto Barroso, even if he loses the election.
- When
- The article was published on October 12, 2026. The group is urging Lula to make the nomination; no date for it is stated.
- Where
- Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court.
- Why
- The group believes a nomination could temporarily rebalance forces on the court amid political pressure.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
there is no intention of revenge against justices
the Senate cannot omit itself in the face of possible crimes of responsibility
Senator Rogério Marinho met with Supreme Court president Edson Fachin.
The Liberal Party is expected to have 28 senators, the largest Senate bloc.
Discussions concern the possibility of impeaching Supreme Court justices.
- Vacant seat
- Luís Roberto Barroso’s seat on the Supreme Federal Court
- Proposed candidate
- Rodrigo Pacheco, a former senator and now a Federal Court of Accounts minister
- Senate size
- 81 seats
- Liberal Party bloc
- 28 senators from February 2027
- Impeachment threshold proposal
- Marinho proposed that a request signed by 49 senators could be opened without the Senate president’s approval
Sources
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