PL targets Ceará as strategic battleground for 2026 elections amid Bolsonaro family split

The Liberal Party (PL) has identified the northeastern state of Ceará as a key arena for the 2026 elections, aiming to double its representation in the Chamber of Deputies from three to six seats and to contest a Senate seat. Party leader Senator Rogério Marinho said the PL will back its candidates on July 10 and is still deciding whether to join a statewide ticket led by former minister Ciro Gomes.

Internal tensions within the Bolsonaro family have surfaced over the PL’s strategy. Former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro opposes the party’s support for former governor Eduardo Girão, while her son Flávio Bolsonaro backs the PL’s alliance with Ciro Gomes and the candidacy of state deputy Alcides Fernandes for the Senate. The dispute reflects broader disagreements about potential national alliances with the PL.

Ciro Gomes, the PL’s regional ally in Ceará, has ruled out supporting Flávio Bolsonaro’s possible presidential run, stating that national differences with the PL are “insurmountable” and endorsing PSDB candidate Aécio Neves instead. Nonetheless, Gomes maintains the regional partnership to defeat incumbent governor Elmano de Freitas (PT), whose re‑election prospects appear tight. A recent AtlasIntel poll shows Gomes and Elmano virtually tied in the first round, with a second‑round simulation favoring Gomes.