Overview
- Carlos Bolsonaro announced on December 11 that he will leave the Rio de Janeiro City Council and relocate to Santa Catarina to run for the Senate in 2026.
- PL ally Alana Passos is expected to assume his council seat, with a transition already underway between their teams.
- Election rules require him to establish electoral domicile in Santa Catarina about six months before the vote, roughly by April 2026.
- His pre-candidacy has met resistance inside PL in Santa Catarina, with concerns about displacing Caroline de Toni and Governor Jorginho Mello’s reluctance to reserve both Senate spots for the party, even as the state strongly backed Jair Bolsonaro in 2022.
- Separately, Senator Romário will take a planned leave and suplente Bruno Bonetti will occupy the seat until around April, as pressure on House leadership intensifies after contentious votes and court interventions.