PSB president and Recife mayor João Campos reaffirmed to Lula the party's desire to keep Geraldo Alckmin as vice-presidential candidate in the October election. Lula is considering offering the position to the MDB to broaden the alliance. The move aims to isolate likely opponent Flávio Bolsonaro.
João Campos, PSB president and Recife mayor, met with President Lula at the Palácio do Planalto on Tuesday (10) and advocated for keeping Geraldo Alckmin as the vice-presidential candidate on the ticket for the October reelection. "It was reaffirmed to the president the PSB's desire to maintain the vice-presidency and that this is a priority for our party," Campos told journalists after the meeting.
He highlighted the strong relationship between Lula and Alckmin, stating: "The relationship between President Lula and Vice-President Alckmin is very good. He knows that this construction is important for our party, and I am sure they will build it in the best way." Campos also stressed that there is no room for an intermediary in their dynamic.
Lula and Alckmin, former adversaries, allied in 2021 to challenge Jair Bolsonaro in the 2022 election, which the PT candidate won. Alckmin, a former PSDB figure, joined the PSB to enable the partnership, appealing to center-right voters.
Now, Lula seeks to include the MDB in the coalition to strengthen the broad front. Lula-aligned MDB members indicated that the vice-presidency would be key to drawing in the party, which is mostly distant from the president. In December, Lula discussed the issue with Senators Renan Calheiros (MDB-AL) and Eduardo Braga (MDB-AM), but has not scheduled a follow-up meeting.
Recently, on February 5, Lula stated that Alckmin has "a role to fulfill" in the São Paulo election. Two days later, at the PT's 46th anniversary event in Salvador, he praised the vice: "Geraldo Alckmin was one of those things that God made happen in my life. He is an extraordinary man whom I respect and admire.".
MDB prospects for the vice slot include Minister Renan Filho, Pará Governor Helder Barbalho, and Planning Minister Simone Tebet, who may run for Senate in São Paulo and switch parties.
