The merger must still be approved by Brazil’s top electoral authority, but the new party, called Uniao Brasil, could shake up a 2022 presidential race that now looks polarized between the far-right Bolsonaro and former leftist President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva. The Democratas (DEM) and the Social Liberal Party (PSL), which Bolsonaro joined ahead of his 2018 campaign, will have a combined 82 seats in the 513-member lower chamber of Congress, a larger grouping than the left-wing Workers Party (PT) with 53. BRASILIA — Two right-wing political parties in Brazil decided on Wednesday to join forces to become the country’s largest political party, with plans to field an alternative to President Jair Bolsonaro in next year’s elections. Bolsonaro quit the PSL in 2019 in a quarrel over control of the party and its growing campaign coffers. He told reporters he expects the new party to field its own presidential candidate next year, backed by a renewed right-wing coalition challenging Bolsonaro, who has no party at the moment.

Source: National Post October 06, 2021 21:11 UTC