Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Brazil’s Next President Faces Mounting Institutional Appointment Vacancies
Brazil has many important government jobs that are still empty.
These include jobs at the Supreme Court, the central bank and regulators that review businesses and financial markets.
The next president will have a chance to nominate people for some of these positions.
But nominees need support in Congress, which has become more powerful in deciding whether appointments move forward.
The Senate rejected Lula’s choice for the Supreme Court in April.
Some central bank positions have also remained empty since January.
The empty jobs have delayed some work, including reviews of company mergers.
The upcoming election may affect how much power the next president has to fill these positions.
Brazil’s next president will inherit vacancies at the Supreme Court, central bank and economic regulators.
Two central bank board seats have been vacant since January, including the post overseeing economic forecasts before rate decisions.
The Senate rejected President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s Supreme Court nominee Jorge Messias in April, extending a vacancy that is nearly a year old.
Vacancies at securities regulator CVM and antitrust watchdog Cade have left Cade near its minimum quorum and delayed merger reviews.
Congress has gained leverage over nominations and spending, while the 2026 campaign has further slowed appointments.
- Who
- Brazil’s next president, the candidates Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro, and Congress.
- What
- A backlog of vacancies at major institutions could give the next president significant influence, while Congress has increased its leverage over appointments.
- When
- The report was published October 2; the first round of the presidential election was scheduled for Sunday, with a runoff expected later in the month.
- Where
- Brazil.
- Why
- Senate confirmation delays, unsubmitted nominations and the election campaign have slowed appointments as Congress has gained influence over the process.
- Presidential candidates
- Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro
- Central bank vacancies
- Two board seats have been empty since January.
- Supreme Court vacancy
- The vacancy is nearly a year old after the Senate rejected Lula’s nominee Jorge Messias in April.
- CVM vacancies
- The securities regulator has had board vacancies since late 2024.
- Cade vacancies
- The antitrust watchdog lacks its president and two board members and is near its minimum quorum.
- Congressional earmarks
- They rose from 7.5% of effective federal discretionary spending in 2018 to 21% in 2025.
- Bills approved last year
- Congress approved 178 bills introduced by legislators and 50 introduced by the executive.