By Camilo Diniz
The race for the leadership of Brazil’s Senate, the upper house of Congress, took a decisive turn on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Senator Tereza Cristina (PP-MS), leader of the Progressistas (PP) in the Senate, said she remains a candidate for the Senate presidency. Senator Rogério Marinho (PL-RN), leader of the opposition in the Senate, said the Liberal Party (PL) will discuss on Wednesday, November 4, a push for an open vote in the election. The move is aimed at senators who might side with the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Tereza Cristina and Marinho keep the race open
Tereza Cristina told reporters that her candidacy stands. “A minha candidatura está mantida e a dele também. Vamos ver mais para frente.” In English: “My candidacy is maintained, and so is his. We’ll see going forward.” She said she talks with Marinho and that the two belong to the same political camp. She also made clear what drives her: “eu quero ser a primeira mulher presidente do Senado” (“I want to be the first woman president of the Senate”). According to the senator, there is no deal yet with the PL senator.
Marinho also sought to lower the temperature among allies. “Continuamos a conversar. Estamos (discutindo) um acordo entre nós, mas não seremos candidatos um contra o outro” (“We keep talking. We are discussing an agreement between us, but we will not be candidates against each other”).
One option the opposition is discussing is a rotation. One of the two would run in 2027 and the other in 2029. The formula would prevent the conservative bloc from arriving divided at a vote in which every vote counts.
Open vote as a way to pressure senators
The most explosive point is a proposal the PL is expected to debate on Wednesday. Today, the Senate president is chosen by secret ballot. The idea under review is to push for an open vote so that each lawmaker’s position is exposed.
The party believes transparency could pressure senators elected with support from the Bolsonaro movement who, in the secrecy of the ballot, might vote to re-elect Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP). Alcolumbre is the current Senate president and has the support of the Lula government.
Background: why the Senate presidency matters
The Senate president is elected by the senators themselves, and the post carries weight in setting the upper house’s agenda. The election is scheduled for February 2027. Until then, the process runs largely behind the scenes. The agreement between Tereza Cristina and Marinho has not been finalized, and it is still unclear whether the PL will take the open-vote proposal forward after Wednesday’s meeting.
If the opposition arrives united, Alcolumbre will face a competitive rival, with the right-wing bloc watching every move.
VDD Analysis
The open vote has a simple logic: a voter who chose a senator to act as an opposition voice has the right to know whether he kept his promises. At the same time, the right only gains strength if it avoids an internal dispute that favors the candidate of the Planalto, the presidential palace. The gesture by Marinho and Tereza Cristina, who refuse to be rivals, shows the lesson has been learned. What remains is turning the conversation into a concrete agreement.
