Lawyers compete for a substitute minister’s vacancy at the TSE – 05/31/2023 – Power

Deprecated by President Lula (PT) for the vacancy of minister of the TSE (Superior Electoral Court), lawyers Daniela Borges and Edilene Lobo make up a new triple list sent to Planalto, this time, for the chair of substitute minister of the electoral court. Lawyer Marilda Silveira is the third name trying for the vacancy.

Daniela and Edilene were on the list for the post of titular minister, but Lula chose André Ramos Tavares and Floriano de Azevedo Marques. Both are close to Alexandre de Moraes and, for PT allies, the choice was a form of deference from the president to the minister.

Now, Lula is expected to choose one of the lawyers and please his allied base. Both Daniela and Edilene have good links with PT wings. Marilda is close to Minister Flávio Dino (Justice and Public Security).

There is no deadline for Lula to indicate the new name. Last week, however, Planalto chose two names for the TSE in record time. There were five hours between the preparation of the list by the STF and the announcement of the chosen ones.

Who are the candidates

• Edilene Lobo: on her CV she has the experience of having defended Dilma Rousseff (PT) in 2018, during the Senate campaign for Minas Gerais. It is in the State that the lawyer finds strength, having represented the PT for many years. Respected within the party, Edilene is now one of the lawyers of the Brazilian Federation of Hope (PT, PCdoB and PV).
• Daniela Borges: supported by minister Cármen Lúcia, carries the mark of having been the first woman to preside over the Bahia section of the OAB, being elected in 2021. for the vacancy in the TSE.
• Marilda Silveira: close to Flávio Dino, Marilda has acted as an adviser in choosing names for the country’s regional courts by the PT government. The lawyer acts in a kind of “pre-selection”, checking the CVs of the candidates.

Moraes allies took office

André Ramos Tavares and Floriano de Azevedo Marques took office this Tuesday (30) as ministers of the TSE, increasing the expectation that, with the new magistrates, the electoral investigation action that calls for the ineligibility of former president Jair will be brought to trial. Bolsonaro (PL).

The case should be discussed later this semester at the TSE, in the assessment of sources that follow the process against Bolsonaro. The former president is accused of abuse of political power and misuse of the media – the lawsuit was filed by the PDT and is the most advanced against the former president.

Even Bolsonaro allies consider the possibility of conviction to be high, which would make the former president ineligible for eight years.

The thesis was reinforced with the choice of André Ramos Tavares and Floriano Marques for the TSE: both were names defended by Alexandre de Moraes, president of the Court. The first was a deputy minister on the court and the second was a longtime friend of the minister, who even defended his appointment behind the scenes.

Upon inaugurating the two new ministers, Moraes stated that both will “add up” in court. The electoral court is composed of 7 ministers and 7 substitutes.

Moraes will maintain influence after leaving court

The appointment of André Ramos and Floriano Marques will expand Moraes’ influence on the TSE even after the minister’s departure, which should take place in June of next year.

Today, Moraes is part of a wing that has voted against Bolsonaro, alongside Benedito Gonçalves and Cármen Lúcia. Ricardo Lewandowski also joined the group until his retirement, forming a majority in the Court.

With the composition reinforcing a majority opposed to Bolsonaro, the parties hope that the court will maintain Bolsonaro’s ineligibility when concluding the trial of any appeals by the former president.