Federal Supreme Court (STF) Minister Edson Fachin took office as president of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) on Tuesday night (22). At the same ceremony, Alexandre de Moraes, also a minister of the STF, was sworn in as vice president of the Court. This information is from Agência Brasil.

In his remarks, Fachin defended the implementation of the 2022 majority general election by the TSE using an electronic voting machine. “There are many challenges to be faced. The first is to protect and respect the truth about the integrity of Brazil’s elections.” He will have to preside over much of the election preparation process, but elections will already take place under the presidency of Minister Alexandre de Moraes, who took office in August.

Also during the ceremony, Fachin stated that it was up to the TSE “to drive away moral blindness and encourage the promotion of civic morale and good faith behavior that opens the door to the necessary respectful and dialogical behavior”.

The President of the Court and his successor will preside over the court after a vote in the Chamber of Deputies on Proposed Constitutional Amendments (PEC) seeking to make the printed vote mandatory in the country. The proposal, which was defended by President Jair Bolsonaro, was rejected in the Chamber and was not taken to the Senate.

“In this context, malicious attacks on elections are themselves an indirect attack on democracy itself, taking into account that disinformation circuits encourage extremism. Brazil deserves more, Electoral Justice calls for respect and warning: will not give up”, said Fachin.

The ceremony was attended, via videoconference, from the president of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Luiz Fux, from the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, and from the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco. Bolsonaro did not attend the inauguration and was represented by the vice president of the Republic, Hamilton Mourão, who also participated remotely.

The president of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), José Alberto Simonetti, defended the TSE and democracy in his speech and criticized fake news. The Minister of Justice and the Inspector General of Electoral Justice, Minister Mauro Campbell Marques, are others who have spoken out in defense of the current electoral system and the performance of the courts.

profile

Born in Rondinha (RS), Edson Fachin has been the titular minister of the TSE since 16 August 2018, but has been a substitute minister since June 2016. He holds a doctorate in law from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP). He has a postdoctoral degree in Canada and is the author of several books and published articles. He served as minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) in June 2015.

Alexandre de Moraes was born in São Paulo (SP). He has served as the effective minister of TSE since June 2, 2020, after serving as a substitute minister since April 2017. He holds a doctorate in state law, is a professor in constitutional law, and is the author of books and academic articles in various fields. law. He has worked as a prosecutor, lawyer, professor of constitutional law, legal advisor and Minister of Justice. He served as STF Minister in March 2017.

Composition

The TSE consists of at least seven ministers. Three of them were from the STF, one of whom was the chairman of the Constitutional Court; two ministers from the High Court (STJ), one of whom is the inspector general of the Electoral Justice; and two lawyers from the class of lawyers, appointed by the President of the Republic.