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Brazil Senate Rejects Supreme Court Nominee, First Since 1894

5/1/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The Senate rejected Solicitor General Jorge Messias for the Supreme Court in a 42-34 vote.
It was the first Senate rejection of a Supreme Court nominee since 1894.
Senate President Davi Alcolumbre opposed Messias and had backed another candidate, shaping the vote.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is now preparing to nominate a woman, heightening tensions with the legislature as he seeks a fourth term.

History

Historical Context

In 1987 the U.S. Senate rejected President Reagan’s Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork by 58-42, after Ted Kennedy’s televised attack and mobilization of civil-rights groups. The same partisan pattern reappeared in Brazil when the Senate voted 42-34 in 2024 to block Solicitor General Jorge Messias. Both defeats show how organized legislative opposition can force presidents to seek alternative judges.

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Story summary

The Senate rejected Solicitor General Jorge Messias for the Supreme Court in a 42-34 vote.
It was the first Senate rejection of a Supreme Court nominee since 1894.
Senate President Davi Alcolumbre opposed Messias and had backed another candidate, shaping the vote.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is now preparing to nominate a woman, heightening tensions with the legislature as he seeks a fourth term.

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