Ciro Gomes rules out running for president in 2026: "I don't want to bother voters anymore."

247 - After four previous candidacies, Ciro Gomes (PDT) confirmed that he will not run for President of the Republic again. The former governor of Ceará stated that he no longer wishes to "bother voters" and questioned whether anyone is capable of solving the country's current problems.

"Every time I ran for office, I had the ability; I knew I could handle solving the problem. Today, I doubt anyone has the capacity to solve the magnitude of the mess that this madness of Lula and Bolsonaro has created in the country," Ciro Gomes stated in an interview with radio station Itatiaia, according to [source missing]. The Globe.

Polarization and criticism of Lula and Bolsonaro.

Ciro pointed to the political polarization between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and Jair Bolsonaro (PL) as the main obstacle to progress in Brazil. According to him, the dispute between the two leaders stifles debate and hinders the development of alternatives.

Political relevance even outside of the race.

Although he decided to abandon the presidential race, Ciro Gomes continues to be remembered in electoral polls. A survey by Genial/Quaest released this Thursday (18) indicated that, among the scenarios tested for 2026, the PDT member appears as the most competitive name against Lula: 40% to 33% in favor of the current president.

Invitations from political parties and the political future.

Even out of the race, Ciro continues to be the target of political maneuvering. He was invited by leaders of the PSDB and União Brasil parties to join potential alliances. In August, he participated in the event that marked the federation between União Brasil and PP.

Behind the scenes, the PSDB party is considering launching Ciro Gomes as a candidate for governor of Ceará in 2026, with the support of parties aligned with Bolsonaro. The goal would be to strengthen proportional representation lists and increase representation in Congress.