PT Escalates Push for Haddad to Lead São Paulo Ticket in 2026

Overview

• Party leaders now treat Fernando Haddad as the sole plan for the governorship as Lula intensifies efforts to persuade him to run.
• Haddad remains reluctant, signaling a role in campaign coordination and indicating he will leave the Finance Ministry by month’s end, though the exit could be delayed.
• The Planalto fears a weak structure in São Paulo could undercut Lula’s vote, with strategists aiming to maintain 2022 levels to avoid a first-round win by Tarcísio de Freitas.
• Allies are mapping alternatives for the slate, with Geraldo Alckmin resisting a bid as Simone Tebet weighs a move to the PSB, while Marina Silva and Márcio França are discussed for roles including Senate.
• Camilo Santana publicly pressed Haddad to accept the “mission” and urged a tougher security posture, endorsing a Security PEC and an anti-faction law as the opposition prioritizes crime.