PSDB talks about merger and wants Eduardo Leite as a candidate for President in 2026

The PSDB confirmed its intention to launch the governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leiteas a candidate for the Presidency of the Republic in 2026.

The information comes from the national president of the party, Marconi Perilloin an interview with CNN Brazil this Wednesday (15).

The party leader also stated that there are plans to merge or incorporate with another party in 2025.

According to Perillo, Eduardo Leite has the profile that the party considers ideal to lead a political alternative on the national scene. The governor is described by him as a “cultured, prepared and conciliatory” politician.

Perillo states that the Rio Grande do Sul governor demonstrated resilience in facing challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2024 floods, events that marked his administration in Rio Grande do Sul. Today, he is one of three Tucano governors in office in the country.

Since 2022, Leite has stood out as an option for the so-called “third way” in the face of political polarization in Brazil. Although he resigned as governor that year to run for President, he ended up giving up his candidacy due to internal conflicts within the PSDB. He then chose to run again for the state government, becoming the first re-elected governor of Rio Grande do Sul since redemocratization.

At the end of 2024, during a visit to Beijing, China, Leite stated that it is not yet the time to discuss his role in the 2026 elections, but he demonstrated “willingness” to run for President.

Read also: Eduardo Leite: Lula tries to reproduce policies that went wrong in the past

Merger in plans

The party is also in the process of restructuring. According to Perillo, the PSDB plans to announce by March a merger or incorporation with another party that shares a similar ideological vision.

The idea is to join forces around common proposals, creating a coalition that offers a solid alternative to the electorate in the face of the polarized disputes of recent years, according to him. The measure is part of a strategy to strengthen the party and expand its support base for the 2026 elections.

On the 2nd, the president of the São Paulo PSDB, Paulo Serra, met with Gilberto Kassab, president of the PSD, to discuss a possible merger. Recently, Tucano leaders also had conversations with the president of the MDB, deputy Baleia Rossi (SP).

(With Estadão Content)