Michelle Bolsonaro’s Role in Brazil’s Presidential Race
Brazil’s October 4 presidential election is expected to send far-right Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro and leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to a runoff. Former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, Flávio’s stepmother, is playing a major role in his campaign and in efforts to broaden far-right support among women. She led the Liberal Party’s women’s organization, where more than 72,000 women joined, and promoted an image of being feminine rather than feminist as polls showed more Brazilian women favoring Lula.
Michelle Bolsonaro, wife of convicted former president Jair Bolsonaro and stepmother to candidate Flávio, became a key figure in the Liberal Party’s outreach to female voters. As head of PL Mulher, she recruited over 72,000 women; the party added 51,263 female members from March 2023 to July 2024, reportedly more than double Lula’s party’s gains. In 2024 municipal races, 995 women backed by that effort won office. She now seeks a Brasília Senate seat.
Her message framed public leadership as compatible with being a wife, mother, and Christian, while rejecting feminism. Yet her June clash with Flávio over northeastern endorsements exposed limits: she said he belittled her, then resigned from PL Mulher six days later.
Michelle’s campaigning may influence Brazilian women voters, especially conservatives, by offering a model of political participation that does not require feminist identity. This could help Flávio Bolsonaro narrow Lula’s advantage among women, though her limited autonomy within the movement may constrain broader gains. Her Senate bid and rivalry with Flávio could also shape far-right leadership and women’s representation, affecting party strategies beyond Brazil.