Inspector General votes for the complete annulment of coalition with front men.
Brazil's Electoral Inspector General, Minister Jorge Mussi, voted to disqualify all elected candidates from two coalitions that used sham candidates to circumvent the 30% quota for women in the electoral race. Although the ruling refers to the 2016 municipal elections, the case could serve as a precedent for judging fictitious candidacies in the 2018 elections as well. If validated for these cases, the ruling will directly affect PSL candidates in Minas Gerais and Pernambuco who are facing similar accusations.
Felipe Pontes, reporter for Agência Brasil - The electoral inspector general, Minister Jorge Mussi, voted today (14) to revoke the mandates of all elected candidates from two coalitions that used dummy candidates to circumvent the 30% quota for women in the electoral contest, required by law. The judgment refers to the 2016 municipal elections.
According to the inspector general, the fraud in the candidacy of women benefits all other candidates from the same coalition, even if they did not participate in the illegal conduct, as it allows for the registration of a greater number of men in the electoral race.
"Given the evidence of conduct that compromises the electoral contest, undermining the legitimacy of the election, it is necessary to revoke the registration of all those who benefited," stated Mussi, rapporteur of an appeal originating from the municipality of Valença do Piauí.
This case could serve as a precedent for judging fictitious candidacies in the 2018 election as well. The federal law that establishes a 30% quota for women candidates in proportional elections was enacted in 2009.
In the process, five women from the Compromisso com Valença I and Compromisso com Valença II coalitions did not register any expenses on electoral advertising, for example, in addition to receiving insignificant votes, with only one or even no votes at all. Another indication of fraud highlighted by Mussi was that some of them campaigned for their husbands and children, to the detriment of their own candidacies.
The trial was interrupted by a request for review from Minister Edson Fachin, who highlighted the "unique relevance" of the topic. In an indication of how he is likely to vote, Minister Admar Gonzaga anticipated a possible dissenting opinion.
Gonzaga stated that he had "difficulty" in disqualifying candidates who did not break the law "because of the fraudulent and maladjusted behavior within the democratic system" of the five women.