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Eduardo Leite
Current politicianBrazil

Eduardo Leite

Governor of Rio Grande do Sul (since January 2023, second term, ending early January 2027); did not run for any office in 2026 · Social Democratic Party (PSD)

Eduardo Leite is the governor of Rio Grande do Sul, a PSD member who lost his party's 2026 presidential nomination and is not on any 2026 ballot.

Positions as of 30 October 2026
Profile on 12 axes6 of 12 documented
ECONOMYSTATESOCIETYWORLDOwnershipMarketsWelfareAuthoritySecurityStructureMoralityReligionTechnologyCultureTradeForeign

Positions are taken from public statements, voting records and platforms as of 30 October 2026, and may have changed since. Report an inaccuracy.

Where they stand

The 12 axes, axis by axis

  1. 01Ownership+65
    PublicPrivate

    His governments sold CEEE, Sulgás, CRM and Corsan and expanded concessions and public-private partnerships worth tens of billions of reais. That places him clearly toward private ownership.

  2. 02Markets+50
    PlannedFree

    He frames the state as regulator and overseer rather than operator, and credits concessions with higher investment.

  3. 03Welfare+30
    SharedSelf-reliant

    He pushed a state pension and civil-service reform and said unpopular fiscal adjustments are needed.

  4. 04Authority-20
    DemocraticStrong leader

    He has criticised radicalised polarisation and rejects a path of confrontation. No record on checks and balances beyond that.

  5. 05Security-10
    LibertyOrder

    He made a 2012 statement against letting ordinary city residents carry guns.

  6. 06StructureNo clear record
    LocalCentral
  7. 07Morality-30
    ProgressiveTraditional

    Older statements, reported secondhand, favoured same-sex marriage and cannabis decriminalisation but were cautious on abortion. No recent restatement was found.

  8. 08ReligionNo clear record
    SecularReligious
  9. 09TechnologyNo clear record
    EmbraceCaution
  10. 10CultureNo clear record
    MulticulturalNational identity
  11. 11TradeNo clear record
    GlobalProtected
  12. 12Foreign policyNo clear record
    CooperationStrength

6 axes have no clear record: no documented statement, vote or platform places Eduardo Leite there, so matching leaves them out.

Who is Eduardo Leite?

Eduardo Leite was born in 1985 in Pelotas and led that city before winning the state governorship in 2018. He was re-elected in 2022. A former national president of the PSDB, he left that party and joined the PSD in May 2025, hoping for its presidential nomination. The PSD chose Ronaldo Caiado instead, and on 1 April 2026 Leite said he would stay in the PSD and not run for any office in October. His term as governor runs until early January 2027.

Previously: Governor of Rio Grande do Sul (2019-2022) · National president of the PSDB (January to November 2023) · Mayor of Pelotas · Joined the PSD in May 2025 after leaving the PSDB

Documented positions

  • The state assembly approved the privatisation of CEEE, CRM and Sulgás in July 2019 by 40 votes to 14, and Leite called it a starting point.Source: estado.rs.gov.br
  • He signed the sale of the water utility Corsan to the Aegea group in July 2023 for R$ 4.151 billion, and said the state would act as regulator.Source: estado.rs.gov.br
  • On 30 March 2026 his government put privatisations and concessions in execution at about R$ 46.1 billion and announced about R$ 20.7 billion in new partnerships, including roads and a school PPP.Source: estado.rs.gov.br
  • In August 2025 he argued that the state should regulate and oversee rather than run every project, and said the investment rate rose from 2.5 to 10 percent.Source: estado.rs.gov.br
  • In May 2025 he said he wanted a centrist alternative to polarisation, that unpopular reforms would be needed for the federal fiscal imbalance, and that he would step aside for Tarcísio de Freitas if Tarcísio ran.Source: infomoney.com.br
  • After the PSD launched Caiado, he said the choice would keep radicalised polarisation, then softened his tone, congratulated Caiado and stayed in the party.Source: folhape.com.br
  • In May 2020 he introduced a colour-flag regional model of Covid distancing, with different restrictions for each of the state's 20 regions.Source: jornaldocomercio.com

Record

His governments pursued state-company sales and concessions, which the state says free up investment: Corsan alone is slated for more than R$ 15 billion over ten years. He declared a public calamity in May 2024 during the state's largest recorded floods. Supporters credit him with fiscal restructuring and with attracting private investment. Critics, including teachers' unions, opposed his 2019 and 2020 austerity and education measures.

In their words

“Quando o Estado realiza uma privatização, isso não deve ser visto apenas pelo recurso arrecadado”
Remarks at the Palácio Piratini, 30 March 2026

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Eduardo Leite: questions

Is Eduardo Leite still governor of Rio Grande do Sul?

Yes, until the end of his second term in early January 2027. He said in April 2026 that he would not run for any office in the October elections.

Why did Eduardo Leite not run for president?

He sought the PSD nomination, but the party chose Ronaldo Caiado in late March 2026. Leite stayed in the PSD and ruled out running for any office this year.

What is Eduardo Leite known for on the economy?

Selling state companies such as CEEE, Sulgás and Corsan and expanding concessions and public-private partnerships, with the state acting as regulator.

Sources

12axes-test.com is not affiliated with any politician or party. A profile summarises documented positions; it is not an endorsement.

Portrait: 09.02.2026 - Eduardo Leite in February 2026 - 55087496770 (3x4).jpg by Governo RS, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and converted to grayscale by 12axes-test.com.