PL launches Rogerio Marinho to Senate presidency

The dispute for the presidency of the Federal Senate, scheduled for February 2027, begins to reveal an arm fall that goes far beyond the choice of who will lead the House. What is at stake is the control of the political and institutional agenda of the country.

The PL officialized the candidacy of Rogério Marinho (PL-RN), leader of the opposition, putting in check the project of re-election of Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP). The movement demonstrates that the party intends to turn the strengthening of its bench in the 2026 elections into institutional power. With 29 senators in the next legislature, he will have the largest representation in the House.

Alcolumbre, in turn, signaled willingness to put on the agenda the dosimetry project, which could reduce sentences of convicted for the acts of coup, among them Jair Bolsonaro. The move has fueled expectations of rapprochement with the opposition, including around a possible change in the position of the Senate in the face of impeachment requests from ministers of the Supremo Tribunal Federal.

But the launch of Marinho indicates that the PL does not intend to deliver its support only in exchange for punctual concessions. The legend wants to participate directly in the command of the House and, above all, influence its agenda.

Sen. Tereza Cristina (PP-MS) also put her name in the dispute, although she signalled dialogue with Marinho to avoid a split of votes. His candidacy adds an important variable to the negotiations, especially because the PP has influence on the composition of the Center and maintains articulations with Alcolumbre.

The challenge of the PL is to transform its parliamentary force into a majority. It takes 41 votes to win, and the largest bench, in isolation, does not guarantee this result. Marino will need to expand alliances, while Alcolumbre has support in the Center and among governmentists.

In this scenario, Lula has a direct interest in the stay of Alcolumbre. It is not just about ensuring interlocution with the president of the Senate and facilitating governance. The election can also define the political environment for future nominations to the Supreme Court and, above all, the treatment that the House will give to initiatives of confrontation with the Court.

The president of the Republic knows that a eventual victory of the PL would widen the space of an opposition that has among its main flags the impeachment of ministers of the STF. On the other hand, the permanence of Alcolumbre represents the continuity of a political relationship based on negotiations, albeit not necessarily in ideological alignment.

The election of the Senate will therefore be a test for the ability of both sides to articulate. The PL wants to show that it has come out of the polls with enough strength to occupy spaces of power. Lula intends to preserve a strategic ally in charge of the House. And Alcolumbre needs to prove that his negotiating capacity remains greater than the pressure exerted by the different political groups.

More than a dispute for a seat, the Senate has become the next battleground for the balance of forces in Brasilia.

Read also: https://bntonline.com.br/ponta-grossa-estado-reforca-recursos-para-colegio-no-neves/