Brazil’s Moro Leaves His Presidential Candidacy Up in the Air

(Bloomberg) -- Brazil's former Carwash Judge Sergio Moro gave up his presidential bid for now and switched parties in an attempt to facilitate negotiations around a single centrist candidate who could potentially challenge the leftist and right-wing front-runners in the October election.

Moro, who polls a distant third in the presidential race, on Thursday left Podemos and joined Uniao Brasil, a party with more financial resources and structure across the country, as well as a larger share of free TV and radio advertising during the campaign. Whether he'll run for president or lawmaker is now up in the air, and will depend on negotiations within his new party and with other centrist leaders. Candidates have until August to register with electoral authorities.

“I give up my presidential candidacy at this moment to become a soldier of democracy,” Moro posted on his Instagram account after the announcement of his party switch. He added he is willing to help “centrist democratic forces to find a single presidential candidacy.”

Brazil's presidential election has been largely considered a two-men race this year, pitting leftist former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva against right-wing Jair Bolsonaro, the incumbent. Room for a so-called third-way candidate seems small as political polarization has increased since the last vote in 2018.

Vying for that position besides Moro are Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria and former Ceara Governor Ciro Gomes, as well as several other potential names who get less than 1% of voting intention in opinion polls. Doria had his pre-candidacy confirmed by the Brazilian Social Democracy Party on Thursday as he resigned as Sao Paulo governor.

Moro has about 10% of votes in recent polls and his relevance cannot be neglected, Uniao Brasil Vice President Junior Bozella told reporters, adding that the party is discussing with other centrist forces who would be the most competitive third-way candidate.