STORY-TRÅD·politik

LGBT+ candidates reach record high in 2026, across more parties

The number of LGBT+ candidates has reached a record high for the 2026 general elections in Brazil. So far, there are 514 confirmed candidates, representing a 57 percent increase from 2022. The data come from a survey released on Tuesday (Aug. 18) by the Plena Cidadania Institute, an organization that develops projects related to democracy, citizenship, and human rights. Notícias relacionadas:Over 20,500 file for candidacy ahead of general elections this year.OAS to send international mission to monitor elections in Brazil.Brazil kicks off campaigns for general elections in October.This increase runs counter to the overall trend in the election. In 2022, the total number of candidates was 29,262, compared with 20,524 in 2026. As a result, the proportion of LGBT+ candidates in the overall pool has more than doubled, rising from 1.12 percent to 2.5 percent. While in 2022 there was one LGBT+ candidate for every 90 candidates, in 2026 the ratio is one for every 40. There were 116 candidates for the House of Representatives in the last election, and this year there are 214 - an 84 percent increase. In the race for state and district legislative assemblies, the number of candidates increased by 36 percent, rising from 205 to 279. Gui Mohallem, a member of the executive board of the Plena Cidadania Institute, noted that LGBT+ candidates are now more widely represented across the party system. According to the survey, they ran in 23 of the 32 parties in 2022. This year, they are present in 27 of the 30 parties running in the election. “What we’re seeing is that the biggest increase in LGBT+ candidates is precisely in the National Congress. Elections for federal representatives are extremely important to the parties because they determine how much funding they will receive. Party funding is determined by the number of votes a party secures for federal representatives,” he said in an interview with Agência Brasil. He added: “The parties are realizing - what we’ve known for a long time - that the LGBT+ community delivers more results for every real invested. Our interpretation of this surge is that the parties are finally understanding that the LGBT+ community is an electoral force.” Another difference in 2026 is the broader distribution of candidacies across parties. Previously, they were more concentrated in the Workers’ Party (PT) and the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL), which are still in the lead, but more candidates are now running under other parties. “Our presence in society is inevitable. It’s interesting because the increase extends even to far-right parties,” said Gui Mohallem. Agendas The executive director also emphasized that those who win seats in the legislature do not merely advocate for LGBT+ causes but are also committed to broader social issues. “LGBT+ people are among the groups denied full citizenship. We also represent people with disabilities, women, slum dwellers, and black people. LGBT+ people are everywhere, so when we come to power, we bring a much broader perspective and are ready to address the demands of the population,” Mohallem stated. The survey data are based on registrations recorded on the Superior Electoral Court’s website and the VoteLGBT platform, “taking into account self-declared candidacies authorized for disclosure.” The VoteLGBT initiative was created in 2014 to connect Brazilian voters with LGBT+ leaders committed to human rights, democracy, and political representation.