The state representative Douglas Ruas (PL), pre-candidate for the Government of Rio de Janeirowas elected this Friday (17) president of Alerj (Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro), with 44 votes. Of the total of 70 members of the House, 25 left the plenary in protest, and there was one abstention.
With the election, the command of the Guanabara Palace is officially dependent on the decision of the STF (Federal Supreme Court).
The court determined the stay of judge Ricardo Coutopresident of the Court of Justice, as interim governor until the selection of the buffer governor, interfering in the line of succession provided for in the state Constitution.
Deputies who are part of the alliance of the former mayor of Rio de Janeiro Eduardo Paes (PSD) did not participate in the vote because they disagreed with the open vote, as provided for in the Alerj regulations. They advocated secret choice, following the procedure defended by Supreme Court ministers for the rules of the indirect election for buffer governor.
The Court of Justice, however, denied this Thursday (16) the opposition’s request to prevent open voting.
TJ-RJ’s performance was praised by Ruas’ allies. Deputy Rodrigo Amorim (União Brasil) stated that he hopes that the line of succession will be respected.
“The same Court of Justice that yesterday gave a decision respecting the Constitution will be the same TJ that will immediately respect the line of succession reestablished in the state Constitution and the Federal Constitution”, he said.
In his speech after the election, Ruas made no reference to the line of succession. He criticized the deputies who took legal action to prevent the selection of the president of Alerj, three months ago with interim command — a situation similar to Couto’s current one.
“Interinity is completely the opposite of stability. Whoever defends interim is defending institutional instability in Rio de Janeiro. This has to be made clear to the PSD and PDT, who sought to take a debate from the political arena to the Judiciary”, stated the new president of Alerj.
The choice of Ruas is seen by the PL as a way to increase the deputy’s exposure, in his first term, for the dispute for state government both in October and in a possible popular election in the middle of the year to choose the buffer governor in the state.
The vote in the Legislature was also a preview of the contest of forces between the PL and the group led by Paes for a possible indirect election to choose the buffer governor. The definition of the name that will lead the state until December still depends on the conclusion of the Supreme Court trial.
THE trial at the STF was interrupted last week with 4 votes to 1 in favor of the indirect electionwith the votes of five ministers still remaining. The minister Flavio Dino requested a review of the process, citing the need to publish the ruling in the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) that revoked the former governor Claudio Castro (PL), in March.
Rio de Janeiro has been without a governor since March 23, when Castro resigned to run for the Senate. His departure from office occurred on the eve of the TSE judgment with the aim of avoiding a direct election for his immediate succession, which could be determined in the event of revocation of the mandate.
Without a vice, as Thiago Pampolha resigned last year to take up a seat at the TCE (State Audit Court), the next in line would be the president of Alerj.
However, the Rio de Janeiro Legislature had its president, Rodrigo Bacellar, out of office since December, during the investigation into the leak of information about the investigation against former deputy TH Joias, suspected of links with Comando Vermelho.
Guilherme Delaroli, vice-president of Alerj, provisionally assumed the presidency of the House, but cannot take over the Guanabara Palace as he is not the holder of the position. For this reason, since Castro’s resignation, the government has been under the responsibility of Couto, president of the TJ-RJ and last in the line of succession provided for in the Rio de Janeiro Constitution.
Couto remains in government now, following an injunction by Minister Cristiano Zanin, endorsed by the STF plenary. The situation will only be defined when the ministers resume the discussion on whether the buffer governor, who will lead the state until December, will be elected in a direct election, by popular vote, or indirectly, by state deputies.
Understand the election of Alerj and the succession to the Government of RJ
Command of the Rio Assembly
Alerj elected its new president this Friday (17), Douglas Ruas (PL). The post had been vacant since the removal of Rodrigo Bacellar, in December 2025, on suspicion of leaking information about an investigation against a former deputy involved with Comando Vermelho.
Next steps
The STF must comment on the interim command of the Guanabara Palace. Until the election of the president of Alerj, judge Ricardo Couto, president of the Court of Justice, held the position of governor because all other positions in the line of succession (governor, vice and president of Alerj) were vacant. With the election of Ruas, the magistrate remains in his post due to an injunction from Minister Cristiano Zanin, who ordered his stay until the new governor is chosen.
How is the succession to the Government of RJ
In addition to deciding who will be the interim governor, the STF must decide whether he will remain in office until the end of the year or whether there will be an election for the head of the buffer government. If it decides to elect a new governor immediately, the Supreme Court will also have to decide whether he will be chosen by popular vote (direct election) or by Alerj deputies (indirect election).
What the law says: State Constitution X Electoral Code
The Supreme Court will have to decide whether the vacancy in the position of governor was due to the resignation of former governor Cláudio Castro (PL) or his conviction at the TSE. In the first case, the state Constitution would be applied. In the second, the Electoral Code.
What does the State Constitution of Rio say
Article 142 provides for indirect elections:
Art. 142 – If the positions of governor and vice-governor of the state become vacant, an election will be held 90 days after the last vacancy opens.
§ 1 If a vacancy occurs in the last two years of the government period, the election for both positions will be held 30 days after the last vacancy, by the Legislative Assembly, in accordance with the law.
What the Electoral Code says
It says that, if there is a decision by the Electoral Court “which results in the denial of registration, the revocation of the diploma or the loss of the mandate of a candidate elected in a majority election”, there will be a new election, which will be:
Art. 224, § 4
I – indirect, if the position becomes vacant less than six months before the end of the term of office;
II – direct, in other cases.
