Simone Tebet

Simone Nassar Tebet (born 27 February 1970) is a Brazilian lawyer, professor, writer, and politician. She has represented Mato Grosso do Sul in the Federal Senate since 2015. Previously, she was mayor of Três Lagoas from 2005 to 2010.[1] She is a member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, of which she was the leader in the Senate from 2018 to 2019.[2]

Simone Tebet
Tebet in 2017
Senator for Mato Grosso do Sul
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 February 2015
Senate Female Caucus Leader
In office 9 March 2021 – 17 February 2022
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Eliziane Gama
Vice Governor of Mato Grosso do Sul
In office 1 January 2011 – 1 January 2015
Governor	André Puccinelli
Preceded by	Murilo Zauith
Succeeded by	Rose Modesto
State Secretary of Government of Mato Grosso do Sul
In office 25 April 2013 – 4 January 2014
Governor	André Puccinelli
Preceded by	Osmar Jeronymo
Succeeded by	Osmar Jeronymo
Mayor of Três Lagoas
In office 1 January 2005 – 31 March 2010
Vice Mayor	Luiz Akira (2005–09) Márcia Moura (2009–10)
Preceded by	Issam Fares
Succeeded by	Márcia Moura
State Deputy of Mato Grosso do Sul
In office 1 February 2003 – 1 January 2005
Personal details
Born	Simone Nassar Tebet (1970-02-27) 27 February 1970 Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso,[lower-alpha 1] Brazil
Political party	MDB (1997–present)
Parent(s)	Ramez Tebet (father)
Alma mater	Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (LL.B.) Superior School of the Judiciary (BSL) Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (LL.M.)
Profession	University professor

In 2019, she was also elected the first woman President of the Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Committee, considered the most important one in the Senate.[3] Tebet ran for President of the Senate in 2021 against Sen. Rodrigo Pacheco, who was backed by both President Bolsonaro and former President Lula's Workers' Party.[4] She ended up losing support of her own party, but continued the independent campaign, portraying herself as the candidate of the opposition. She ended up losing with only 21 votes to Pacheco's 57.[5]

Tebet is a candidate for president in the 2022 Brazilian General Elections, running a centrist, pragmatic, and social liberal campaign, opposing both President Bolsonaro and former President Lula.[6] She said her priorities are social policies, like education, housing, and the environment.[7] In February, she announced economist Elena Landau as the campaign economic coordinator. Landau is known for her work in former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso's administration and for being part of LIVRES, a social liberal movement.[8]

She is the daughter of former governor and senator Ramez Tebet. In June 2015, an investigation implicated Tebet in diverting public resources for a fraudulent contractor while mayor of Três Lagoas. She has not faced prosecution for this, however.[9]