Succession in the PSDB has Aécio strengthened and controversies – 11/26/2023 – Power

With the decision of the governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite, not to continue leading the PSDB, the party reaches the week of its national convention with part of the internal disputes equalized in a single ticket for the national directory, but controversies remain regarding to executive positions.

The convention is scheduled for Wednesday (29), with online voting, and Thursday (30), with in-person voting in Brasília.

Former governor and former senator Marconi Perillo, from Goiás, is the favorite to lead the party, although other names are still being discussed to preside over the executive, such as the leader of the bench in the Chamber of Deputies, Adolfo Viana (BA), the former -senator José Aníbal (SP) and even Leite himself, who maintains the majority preference as it is a more consensual choice.

The process of choosing the tucana leadership highlighted the influence of federal deputy Aécio Neves (MG), who will join the new executive like all former presidents of the PSDB, including Leite. The majority of the members of the future directory are linked to the former governor and former senator of Minas Gerais, who was the one who nominated Perillo’s name – Leite was left to join the composition.

The Gaucho’s allies minimize the power struggle between Aécio and Leite, who initially tried to place former senator Tasso Jereissati (CE) in the party’s presidency, but the Minas Gerais vetoed. In their view, both have a good relationship and there is no alternative for a weakened party like the PSDB other than unification.

“I only care [ser presidente do PSDB] if it is to do a broad and plural work”, says Perillo to Sheethighlighting that he has no intention of leading the party.

For him, the next PSDB president will have the “Herculean job” of commanding municipal elections, attracting parliamentarians and new names, reconnecting with voters and presenting new proposals, which requires time and dedication.

Leite’s retreat from the presidency of the PSDB, according to those interviewed by the report, was considered understandable given the demands of the state government, which has accumulated a series of tragedies caused by the rains.

In any case, they say, the project of launching him as President of the Republic in 2026 remains a priority in the party, as having a presidential candidate would be essential so that the party does not shrink even further.

Aécio Neves, now acquitted by the Federal Regional Court of the 3rd Region of the accusation of corruption in the JBS case, wants to dedicate himself to political activity in Minas Gerais – the idea is that he will run for state government in 2026.

Around Leite, the reading is that he will maintain his leading role as presidential candidate and Perillo should not act as an intervenor for Aécio.

In a statement, Aécio states that Leite’s leadership is undisputed and that he “is our great figure and our big bet for 2026”. The deputy defines the choice of the new executive as harmonious, convergent and democratic and reinforces the PSDB’s opposition role to the Lula (PT) government.

In the new phase, tucanos demand forcefulness from the party in criticizing the PT member, something that Leite was unable to do in his position as governor, dependent on federal funds and obliged to maintain a good relationship with Planalto.

Leite, however, faces opposition from the São Paulo PSDB wing linked to former governors João Doria and Rodrigo Garcia (PSDB). Once in command of the acronym, the gaucho intervened to remove the tucano command in the state and in the capital and, at least provisionally, his allies Paulo Serra, mayor of Santo André, and Orlando Faria, former municipal secretary, began to exercise dominance local.

For this reason, Fernando Alfredo, removed president of the São Paulo PSDB, who was re-elected in a convention not recognized by Leite, says he prefers that the party launch Aécio for Planalto in 2026 in place of the gaucho.

Also a supporter of Marconi Perillo, Alfredo says he hopes that, if elected president of the PSDB, the former governor will undo Leite’s measures in São Paulo – the Gaucho’s allies say the opposite, that nothing will be reviewed by the new executive.

“Leite did not respect politics and did not respect São Paulo. The next executive must correct the mistakes he made. This is what is being designed”, adds Alfredo, who has the support of councilors and deputies to remain at the head of the directory in capital.

From Tuesday (28), the toucans must meet in Brasília to agree on the executive positions. The concern is that the most important states in the tucana hierarchy, such as São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso do Sul, are covered.

The disputes are to define the secretary general, treasurer and vice-president of the party. Today the secretariat is occupied by an ally of Aécio, federal deputy Paulo Abi-Ackel (MG), and the treasury is occupied by an ally of Leite, Paulo Serra. In addition to the two, other names mentioned for these positions are Rodrigo Garcia and Reinaldo Azambuja (MS).

Despite certain obstacles, party politicians are optimistic and say that this year’s convention tends to be calmer than past editions. In 2019, Bruno Araújo was elected with the support of Doria amid a dispute with aecistas for vacancies in the executive – the disagreements surrounding the former governor have only increased since then, until he left the PSDB in October 2022.

In January of this year, Araújo handed over command of the PSDB to Leite on a provisional basis, and the governor postponed the national convention initially scheduled for May until November.

Leite’s option to succeed him was Tasso, and a ticket began to be put together in that sense, although many doubted the former senator’s willingness to take over the party.

Aécio, however, began to articulate an alternative ticket to elect Perillo due to a fight with Tasso over party leadership in 2017, after the Minas Gerais native left with the JBS scandal.

Leite, then, resisted giving in to Aécio and tried to get Aníbal on board, but there was no consensus either. As the miner put together a more robust plate and there was no major objection to Perillo, he ended up being strengthened in the process of unifying the plates.

In October 2018, Perillo was arrested for a day in an operation that investigated the payment of bribes in electoral campaigns. In 2022, the STF (Federal Supreme Court) annulled the operation because it considered that the jurisdiction did not lie with the Federal Court, but with the Electoral Court.

“This process was a political and legal aberration, with absurd illegalities, so much so that it was annulled by the STF. I’m calm about that”, says Perillo.