Gilmar Mendes calls on TSE leadership to act as an "equidistant referee" after the runoff
The Supreme Court justice wrote that "silences and hesitations are not neutral" after divergent rulings on voting day.
Translated from the Portuguese original by the Panorama newsroom. Read in Portuguese
Summary written by the Panorama newsroom from the sources listed below. Facts are attributed to the original publications.
Justice Gilmar Mendes, of the STF, said on Tuesday (3) that whoever leads the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) must act as an "equidistant referee," according to g1. In a post on X, he said that "silences and hesitations are not neutral," without naming names or specific episodes.
The statement comes after the October 25 runoff, marked by divergent decisions between the STF and the TSE on extending voting hours. The campaigns of Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro asked for longer hours in view of reports of problems that made it hard for voters to arrive.
The TSE is presided over by Kassio Nunes Marques, also an STF justice, who took over the Electoral Court this year and stays until May 2027. He had already stated that the Electoral Court conducted the election securely and within normal bounds.
Gilmar praised the work of the other members of the panel: "This time, collegiality fulfilled its role." In his view, the soundness of the electoral process cannot depend solely on the strength of the panel, and hesitations open room for contradictory decisions and serve as a pretext for those who attack the electoral system.