04/07/2024 – 15:36
The dispute for mayor of Curitiba (PR) in the 2024 elections should test the strength of the support of the godfathers in the municipal and state machines, on the one hand, and federal on the other.
Deputy mayor and with little experience in political office, Eduardo Pimentel (PSD) has as an asset the accumulated support of governor Ratinho Júnior and mayor Rafael Greca, stars of his party in the state, and of former prosecutor and impeached federal deputy Deltan Dallagnol (Novo), who gave up running to join his campaign.
On the other side is former mayor Luciano Ducci (PSB), who has an alliance with the PT and with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in a deal made by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin (PSB). Running on the outside, old acquaintances of the Paraná electorate: former governors Beto Richa (PSDB) and Roberto Requião (PMN).
The scenario became a little more defined after Dallagnol withdrew his candidacy, as he was one of the leaders of the polls and entered the campaign with the weight of having been the second most voted federal deputy in the history of Paraná, with 345 thousand votes. Amid legal debates about his possible ineligibility after being removed from office by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), he ended up giving up running to support Pimentel.
“Signing a letter of commitment in favor of Curitiba and the defense of agendas, principles and values that are non-negotiable for me and for us on the right, which are agendas, principles and values that Eduardo shares and to which he is committed,” said Deltan Dallagnol when announcing the support.
In addition to him and Greca, who will be leaving the mayoral office this year after two terms, Governor Ratinho Júnior has been making an effort to transfer political capital to Pimentel since his appointment was chosen. Ratinho has a strong acceptance of his administration. In March, a survey by the Quaest Institute showed that around 79% of Paraná residents approve of the governor’s term.
The response from Pimentel’s supporters puts him ahead in the polls of voting intentions. A survey by Paraná Pesquisas, released on May 14, showed the vice-mayor leading in the city, with 22.9%, followed by Ducci, with 13.1%, and Ney Leprevost (União Brasil), with 12.8%, surpassing former governor Roberto Requião (PMN), who reached 11%.
For Doacir Quadros, a political scientist and professor at the Uninter International University Center, the entire context surrounding Pimentel’s campaign, although relevant, may not be enough to get him elected. His lack of political experience and unfamiliarity with the city surrounding his work may be challenges during electoral propaganda or even during debates between candidates.
“He does not have an established political-electoral capital. This may be lacking, since he may have to face Beto Richa, Roberto Requião… They are already consolidated, they are politicians who, literally, in terms of communication, dialogue, already have experience”, he explains.
The PT, through its party president, Gleisi Hoffmann, declared its support for pre-candidate Luciano Ducci, an attitude that caused discomfort among part of the party, especially potential pre-candidates Zeca Dirceu (PT) and Carol Dartora (PT). Dirceu even said that he would appeal to President Lula to reverse the decision. The party, however, closed the alliance at the request of Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, fulfilling an agreement to support PSB candidates in Curitiba, Recife, São Luiz and Palmas.
PT support, however, may not be enough to make Ducci the favorite.
“(The Curitiba electorate) tends to follow a conservative path. There is a clear rejection of left-wing parties and, in particular, the PT, throughout history. The PT had a real chance of having its candidate elected for the last time in 2000”, explains professor Doacir Quadros, referring to Angelo Vanhoni’s defeat in the second round to then-mayor Cássio Taniguchi (PFL). Since then, Curitiba has been increasingly moving to the right, in view of the developments of Operation Lava Jato, based in the city.
Ducci is seeking to return to the main seat of the capital of Pará, after leading the city in 2010 and 2013, after having been deputy mayor to his current opponent Beto Richa (PSDB).
Richa, who tried to get closer to former president Jair Bolsonaro in an unsuccessful attempt to join the PL, remained in the PSDB and launched his pre-candidacy in May.
“I wasn’t going to move to the PL. I was going to talk to the PSDB, see what could be done. (The PL) is a party that has much more structure than the PSDB, much more television time. I need more TV time, more structure, especially when facing two machines, the municipal and the state. I talked to several parties and the one that interested me the most was the PL”, explained Richa to State in season.
Running as an outsider in the race for the leadership of the capital of Paraná, state deputy Ney Leprevost hopes to have valuable support in the electoral race. The main figure of his party in the state, senator Sérgio Moro (União Brasil) brings with him the political capital of the 2022 election to Congress, defeating candidates from Lula and Bolsonaro, and from the Lava Jato era. His support could have an important meaning for the outcome of the elections. In an interview with StateNey reaffirms that União Brasil tends to prioritize the capital of Paraná. “União believes that Curitiba is a very important showcase for the party,” he said.
See the pre-candidates for mayor of Curitiba:
– Eduardo Pimentel (PSD), deputy mayor
– Luciano Ducci (PSB), former mayor and federal deputy
– Ney Leprevost (UNIÃO), state deputy
– Beto Richa (PSDB), former governor and federal deputy
– Paulo Martins (PL), former federal deputy
– Goura (PDT), state deputy
– Cristina Graeml (PMB), journalist
– Luizão Goulart (Solidarity), former deputy
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