PL Chief Says Michelle Bolsonaro Could Beat Lula in 2026 Race

Brazil’s Liberal Party (PL) president Valdemar Costa Neto said on Saturday that party polling shows former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro is the only figure other than her husband, ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, who could defeat President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a 2026 runoff. Speaking at a PL Mulher gathering in Guarulhos, São Paulo, he called Michelle’s survey performance a surprise and claimed she “beats Lula in every poll we have run.” The remarks underscore the PL’s search for a viable standard-bearer while Jair Bolsonaro remains barred from holding office until 2030 following two electoral-court convictions. Costa Neto reiterated that the party still regards the former president as its preferred candidate, but said any substitute would be chosen by Bolsonaro himself if his legal situation is not reversed. Recent surveys paint a mixed picture. A June Paraná Pesquisas poll put Michelle ahead of Lula by 44.4% to 40.6% in a simulated second round, within a 2.2-percentage-point margin of error. A separate Datafolha study cited by Folha de S.Paulo showed Lula about four points in front of the former first lady, also inside the statistical margin. Both polls signal a potentially tight contest two years before the vote.