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TSE president suspends rejection of Deltan Dallagnol's Senate candidacy

TSE president suspends rejection of Deltan Dallagnol's Senate candidacy

Rule Changes

Votes will be counted on election day, but validity hinges on full court ruling

Today: Nunes Marques suspends rejection, orders votes counted

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

On the morning of Brazil's election day, the president of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) suspended a ruling that had rejected Deltan Dallagnol's Senate candidacy just hours earlier. Votes cast for Dallagnol will now be counted, though their validity depends on a decision by the court's full plenary.

The reversal came 12 hours after Minister Floriano de Azevedo Marques ordered Dallagnol's registration rejected and his votes nullified. Nunes Marques said the decision was made too close to the vote and should have come from the full court, not a single minister.

Why it matters

If the plenary upholds the rejection, every vote for Deltan is void and the Senate seat goes to the next candidate.

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Key Indicators

7-0
2023 TSE vote to cassate Deltan's mandate
The TSE voted unanimously in 2023 to strip Deltan of his federal deputy seat.
12h
Time between rejection and suspension
Floriano rejected the candidacy at 19:32 Saturday; Nunes Marques suspended it at 7:45 Sunday.
2
Senate seats at stake in Paraná
Paraná elects two senators in this election.

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

November 2021 October 2026

6 events Latest: Today
Tap a bar to jump to that date

Scenarios

1

TSE plenary upholds Deltan's candidacy

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Deltan's legal team, Novo party

The plenary rules that the TRE-PR correctly approved Deltan's registration. His votes are valid, and if he finishes in the top two, he takes a Senate seat. This would overturn Floriano's reasoning that Deltan resigned to avoid ineligibility.

2

TSE plenary rejects Deltan's candidacy

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: PT, PDT

The plenary upholds Floriano's reasoning that Deltan resigned from the prosecutor's office to avoid disciplinary proceedings. His votes are nullified, and the next candidate in the tally takes the seat.

3

Deltan loses the election, candidacy question becomes secondary

Uncertain Resolves by Oct 5, 2026

Discussed by: Election analysts

If Deltan finishes outside the top two in Paraná, the candidacy ruling matters less. The plenary may still rule, but the practical impact is limited to whether his votes are counted in the final tally.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

August 2018

Lula barred from 2018 election (2018)

Former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was leading polls when the TSE barred his candidacy under the Ficha Limpa law, citing his corruption conviction. His running mate, Fernando Haddad, took his place and lost in the runoff to Jair Bolsonaro.

Then

Lula's party ran Haddad, who lost to Bolsonaro.

Now

The case established that Ficha Limpa applies even to frontrunners. Lula was later freed and won the 2022 election.

Why this matters now

Shows how the TSE applies Ficha Limpa to major candidates close to election day.

May 2023

Deltan's mandate cassated (2023)

The TSE voted 7-0 to cassate Deltan's federal deputy mandate, ruling he resigned from the prosecutor's office in 2021 to avoid disciplinary proceedings that could make him ineligible.

Then

Deltan lost his seat and was barred from running for eight years.

Now

The ruling set the precedent now being challenged in his Senate bid.

Why this matters now

This is the direct legal basis for the challenge to Deltan's Senate candidacy.

June 2010

Ficha Limpa law takes effect (2010)

Brazil's Congress passed the Ficha Limpa law, barring politicians convicted of crimes by a collegiate court from running for office for eight years. The law was first applied in the 2010 elections.

Then

Hundreds of candidates were barred in the 2010 elections.

Now

The law became a central tool in Brazilian electoral politics, used to bar Lula in 2018 and now Deltan.

Why this matters now

The law at the center of Deltan's case was first applied in 2010.

Sources

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