Rio de Janeiro Legislative Assembly presidency race intensifies

Political maneuvering for the presidency of the Rio de Janeiro Legislative Assembly (Alerj) has intensified following a reconciliation between Washington Quaquá, the mayor of Maricá, and re-elected state deputy André Ceciliano. Both members of the Workers' Party (PT), their agreement aims to strengthen the center-left bloc in the upcoming election.

Ceciliano, who previously presided over the Assembly from 2017 to 2023, is seeking to build a competitive candidacy by negotiating with various parties, including PSB, PCdoB, PDT, PSOL, and PSD. Current calculations suggest this group could command a base of 28 deputies, requiring eight additional votes to reach the 36-vote threshold needed for victory.

Opposing this effort is the government base, led by Governor-elect Douglas Ruas. The Ruas administration has announced deputy Anderson de Moraes as its candidate for the presidency. This bloc, primarily composed of the Liberal Party (PL) and the União Brasil-PP federation, currently holds approximately 30 deputies. Proponents of this group expect to expand their support to between 39 and 41 votes through potential party shifts and new alliances.