Brazil presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro says he could change constitution
In short
Flávio Bolsonaro, the Liberal Party candidate in Brazil's presidential election, said he could amend the country's constitution if he wins, Russian outlets reported. He said a Senate and Chamber of Deputies majority would let him pass constitutional amendments and “restore democracy,” according to Kommersant, which cited G1. Kommersant reported he did not say what changes he had in mind.
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Flávio Bolsonaro, the Liberal Party candidate in Brazil's presidential election, said he could change the country's constitution if he wins, according to RIA Novosti, Kommersant and RBC. Kommersant reported that he did not specify what changes might be made. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Speaking during a visit to Goiás state, Bolsonaro said: “With a majority in the Senate and a majority in the Chamber of Deputies for electing the speaker, we will be able to pass constitutional amendments and restore democracy in this country,” Kommersant reported, citing G1. [ 2 ]
Kommersant reported that the candidate plans to seek the support of Ronaldo Caiado, who finished fifth in the first round, and of elected governor Daniel Vilela. [ 2 ]
According to Kommersant, first-round results gave Flávio Bolsonaro 47.03% of the vote (56.1 million), ahead of incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with 45.16% (53.8 million), while Ronaldo Caiado took 2.18% (2.6 million votes). [ 2 ]
Kommersant reported that after the elections right and far-right forces took 34 of the 54 seats in Brazil's Senate, a configuration it said matters not only for constitutional amendments because the Senate has the right to impeach Supreme Court judges. Controlling that procedure was one of the bolsonaristas' goals after former president Jair Bolsonaro was jailed for an attempted coup in 2022, the outlet reported, adding that conservatives also made major gains in Congress and state-level races. [ 2 ]
RIA Novosti reported the statement earlier in headline form, and RBC later summarised the candidate's stated intention to change the constitution if he wins. Neither added details beyond the pledge itself. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The pledge points to the constitutional amendments a Bolsonaro presidency could pursue if his camp holds the congressional majorities Kommersant describes. Kommersant notes the Senate also has the power to impeach Supreme Court justices, making control of that chamber relevant beyond ordinary legislation. The documents give no indication of how the dispute will develop.
Key facts
- Flávio Bolsonaro, the Liberal Party's presidential candidate in Brazil, said he might change the country's constitution if he wins the election, according to RIA Novosti, Kommersant and RBC. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Speaking during a visit to Goiás state, he said a Senate majority and a Chamber of Deputies majority for electing the speaker would allow constitutional amendments to be passed, Kommersant reported, citing G1. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant reported that he did not specify which changes could be made. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant reported he plans to seek the support of Ronaldo Caiado, who finished fifth in the first round, and elected governor Daniel Vilela. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant reported first-round results of 47.03% (56.1 million votes) for Flávio Bolsonaro, 45.16% (53.8 million) for incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and 2.18% (2.6 million) for Ronaldo Caiado. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant reported that right and far-right forces won 34 of 54 Senate seats and that the Senate has the power to impeach Supreme Court judges. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Which constitutional changes Flávio Bolsonaro intends to make. Kommersant states explicitly that he did not specify what changes could be introduced; no document gives details.
- Whether Ronaldo Caiado and elected governor Daniel Vilela will support Flávio Bolsonaro. Kommersant says only that he plans to seek their support; no document reports an agreement.
- The exact first-round vote shares and seat counts. These figures appear only in Kommersant's article and are not repeated by the other documents.
- The city where Flávio Bolsonaro made the statement. Kommersant places the remark during a visit to Goiás state but names no city.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RIA Novosti publishes a headline reporting that Bolsonaro said he could change the constitution. [ 1 ]
- Kommersant publishes its article with the quote from the Goiás visit, first-round results, Senate seat counts and coalition plans. [ 2 ]
- RBC publishes a summary reporting the candidate's stated intention to change the constitution if he wins. [ 3 ]