At least 36 civil servants resigned from their positions to contest elections in Pernambuco

Twelve of the state employees are assigned to the Department of Education. Four belong to the State Department of Health (SES), two are from the State Department of Penitentiary Administration and Resocialization (Seap) and one belongs to the State General Comptroller's Office (SCGE). The city of Recife states that, of the 17 municipal employees who requested leave, 11 will compete for a position as state deputy, and another six, for the position of federal deputy. The Recife Administration Secretariat did not inform the capacity of servers until the publication of this report. In the case of government secretariat holders who intend to run for elected office this year, the deadline was six months before the 1st round. In April, six state secretaries asked to resign from the positions they led. They are: Daniel Coelho: Secretariat of Environment, Sustainability and Fernando de Noronha (Semas); Kaio Maniçoba: Secretariat of Tourism and Leisure (Setur); Emmanuel Fernandes de Freitas Gois: Secretariat of Professional Development and Entrepreneurship (Sedepe); Juliana Gouveia: Women’s Secretariat; Carlos Braga: Secretariat of Social Assistance, Combating Hunger and Drug Policies (SAS); André Teixeira Filho: Secretariat of Mobility and Infrastructure (Semobi). “Electoral defense” On July 4th, the so-called “electoral defense” began. The expression means that, as of this date, a series of government prohibitions and restrictions are in force with the aim of preventing what could constitute inequality in the 2026 electoral contest. According to the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), the series of restrictions came into effect exactly three months before the election. It is an instrument of the Electoral Court to make the process more equal between those who have a position and those who do not. The set of rules is part of the Elections Law (Law No. 9,504/1997) and regulated by Resolution No. 23,735/2024 of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). Among the prohibitions for the period are: Authorizing institutional advertising of acts, programs, works and services; Slogans, brands, symbols or images that identify authorities with positions in dispute on websites and social networks; Appointment, hiring, dismissal without just cause or transfer of official employees; Appointment to positions in the Judiciary, the Public Prosecutor's Office, courts or audit councils and bodies of the Presidency of the Republic; Hiring artistic shows with public resources to inaugurate works; Transfer of voluntary transfers of resources (Union/states), except for works in progress or calamities; Attendance of candidates at any public inauguration. According to the Electoral Court, among the permissions for the period are the publication of essential information access services and the Transparency Portal, in addition to the appointment to commission and call positions that were approved until July 3rd. In the case of non-compliance with the rules, there are sanctions provided for in accordance with the Electoral Law, such as the imposition of fines, revocation of the registration or diploma of the candidate who has benefited. For political scientist Bhreno Vieira, the measures are important in a political context constantly marked by electoral imbalance. “Whoever occupies a public position has resources that other candidates who do not occupy, do not have, such as greater visibility, having the power of the pen, having institutional authority”, he states. According to Vieira, leaving the position is an effective measure in the search for more equal conditions. “The removal ensures that these resources, which do not belong to the candidate who is occupying a position, are resources that belong to the State and that they are used for private benefit”, he adds. The political scientist, however, highlights that the rules cannot fully reduce the benefits of those already in office, especially those running for re-election. "Candidates who are running for re-election start with an advantage, political theory calls this 'incumbent's advantage', which is basically the advantage of those who already occupy the position. (...) That's what these institutional constraints are for, like this period now, which will try to limit this asymmetry", he concludes. VIDEOS: most seen in Pernambuco in the last 7 days