Brazil’s Ficha Limpa Law Awaits Supreme Court Ruling Weeks Before Vote
Brazil’s Supreme Court resumes judging changes to the Ficha Limpa clean-record law between 11 and 18 September, weeks before the October election. The post Brazil’s Ficha Limpa Law Awaits Supreme Court Ruling Weeks Before Vote appeared first on The Rio Times .
The Brazilian Supreme Federal Court is set to resume hearings between September 11 and 18 regarding a case that will decide the fate of the country's Ficha Limpa law. The law, also known as the clean-record law, bars candidates from running in elections for eight years after a conviction for criminal offenses, removal from office, or resignation to avoid impeachment.
In 2025, the law underwent a reform that altered how the eight-year ban began. The modification allows the clock to start at the time of conviction or removal, rather than after the sentence is fully served. Additionally, the reform capped the total ban period at twelve years. However, the changes have been challenged by the Rede Sustentabilidade party, which argues that the earlier counting period allows politicians to return to the ballot prematurely and avoid the legal consequences of their offenses.
Justice Cândida Lúcia voted in favor of overturning the earlier counting rule, followed by Justice Luiz Fux. This left the case with a 2-0 margin against the reform. However, Justice Gilmar Mendes requested more time to study the case, thus suspending the trial. As a result, the ruling is expected to come between September 11 and 18, 2026, which would be after the October 4th voting.
Electoral court data shows that 6,853 candidacies have been rejected or annulled under the clean-record categories since 2014. Nearly 95% of these cases occurred in municipal elections, with the peak being in 2020, where 2,390 registrations were blocked. The law's most prominent target was former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was banned from the 2018 race while serving a conviction that was later annulled.
Jair Bolsonaro, currently running for president, has been campaigning against the law, deeming it a tool that disproportionately targets right-wing politicians. If the court upholds the reform, the stricter counting rules will apply to the current election cycle and the next. Regardless of the ruling, the decision will coincide with the campaign season, as Brazilians will head to the polls on October 4th, with a potential runoff on October 25th.
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