to talk to the youth. The leadership of Podemos also understands that the party is part of a society that today is mobilized through causes related to people's daily life, contrary to what they consider as stagnant political parties in outmoded models that seek only to remain in power. Podemos arose in a historical context in which the vast majority of Brazilians have no party preference and do not believe in the old political parties and the old politics. After the JBS plea bargain, Podemos was the first party to leave the allied base of the Michel Temer government on 18 May 2017, also leaving the party bloc of which it integrated alongside Progressive (PP) and Labour Party of Brazil (PTdoB) parties and then declaring independence in relation to government. Podemos became represented in the Federal Senate with the affiliation of Alvaro Dias (ex Green) and Romário, who left the Social Democratic Party at the end of June. In August, the party received the affiliation of José Medeiros (ex Social Democrat), senator by Mato Grosso. In November, Podemos expelled state congressmen who voted to free Jorge Picciani, the president of Alerj, Paulo Melo and Edson Albertassi from the prison, who were the target of Operação Cadeia Velha. After this episode, Podemos also expelled a congressman that accepted the position of Minister of the Cities in President Michel Temer's cabinet. In July 2017, the party made an online poll to decide how congresswoman Renata Abreu should vote regarding the complaint of passive corruption against President Temer in the Commission of Constitution and Justice. Later, Podemos made other online polls to decide how their parliament members should vote on welfare reform and the end of legal immunity. In the 2018 general election, Podemos formed a coalition with the Social Christian Party, the Christian Labour Party and the Progressive Republican Party in support of the candidacy of Alvaro Dias for president. Dias obtained 859,601 votes (0,80%); the party performed well in parliamentary election, electing 11 deputies and one senator. Dias endorsed Bolsonaro in the second round. On 21 December 2018 the Humanist Party of Solidarity merged into Podemos, increasing its parliamentary representation to 17 deputies and 7 senators and turning Podemos into the third group in the Senate. Podemos later joined Bolsonaro's majority. Ideology According to the party's president Renata Abreu, Podemos is not about left and right, but forward, with more democracy