2026 Elections: Why the LGBTQIA+ Vote Needs to Be Strategic

In an article published in Folha de S.Paulo, our senior associate Rafhael Romero Bentos analyzes a key issue for the country’s future: the need for strategic voting in the 2026 elections to guarantee the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community.

As Rafhael—who also serves as Co-Chair of the International Bar Association’s (IBA) LGBTQIA+ Committee—points out, legal protection for this community in Brazil has been established primarily by the judiciary as a result of a historical legislative omission.

The article raises essential points for public debate:

▫️ Omission is not neutrality: the absence of legal frameworks highlights a persistent institutional gap in the protection of fundamental rights.

▫️ Strategic representation: we must elect candidates who present clear and concrete proposals, ranging from the criminalization of LGBTphobia to the amendment of the Civil Code to guarantee the rights of this community.

▫️ The Republic’s Agenda: guaranteeing the rights of a minority is an institutional consensus that must transcend ideological divides and shifts in power.

We invite you to read the full analysis in Folha de S. Paulo (link for subscribers) and to reflect on how your vote can serve as a tool for reaffirming fundamental rights. Click here.