Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro joins the center-right Liberal Party (PL). Both PL leader Valdemar Costa Neto and Bolsonaro himself confirmed the president’s intention to join the party.
“It could happen as early as this week,” Bolsonaro told his supporters, according to Reuters news agency.
Bolsonaro had not been affiliated with any party since 2019, after he left PSL, the social-liberal party with which he won the elections in 2018, after arguing.
Lula
The alliance with PL should help Bolsonaro be re-elected president next year. Bolsonaro is expected to take on former progressive president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, better known as ‘Lula’. Earlier this year, Brazil’s Supreme Court overturned the conviction of the still popular Lula, freeing him to run in the election.
Neither of them has yet to officially stand for election.
Popularity decreased
Bolsonaro’s popularity has declined sharply due to his handling of the corona crisis and rising inflation in Brazil. In opinion polls, it seems that Lula would win in a duel, although the differences between the two are narrowing.
The center-right progressive party PP is also said to have tried to win over Bolsonaro. The party’s leader, Ciro Nogueira, is Bolsonaro’s chief of personnel. Anonymous sources tell Reuters that Bolsonaro’s vice presidential candidate could potentially come from the PP.
The presidential election will take place in October 2022.
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