THE AMERICASBolsonaro vs. Lula: What’s at Stake in Brazil’s 2022 Election
Brazil’s presidential election is down to two polarizing candidates, and experts say the runoff will be a major test for one of the world’s largest democracies.
Brazilian voters will return to the polls for a presidential runoff after neither of the leading candidates managed to secure enough support to win the election earlier this month. On October 30, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (commonly known as Lula) of the left-wing Workers’ Party (PT) will face incumbent Jair Bolsonaro of the conservative Liberal Party (PL). The candidates represent starkly different visions for Brazil, and experts broadly agree that the result will test the strength of Brazil’s democracy.
What Are Voters’ Main Concerns?
According to the latest national survey [PDF] carried out by private polling firm Quaest Consultoria, Brazilians’ top concerns are the economy, social issues including public health, and corruption; other worries include crime and education.
Brazil is recovering from the effects of its worst-ever recession, which began in 2014, and the country continues to struggle with limited growth and high inflation. Brazil is also still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout, such as increased poverty and an ongoing education crisis. Meanwhile, the country’s high rates of violent crime—including murder, robbery, and kidnapping—persist.
What Have the Candidates Promised?
Jair Bolsonaro. A former army captain and congressman, Bolsonaro won the 2018 presidential election campaigning as a right-wing, socially conservative nationalist. He promised to tackle crime and corruption and boost economic growth. However, his tenure has featured many controversial decisions, including cutting funding for federal education, relaxing gun ownership laws, and weakening LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights. He has also drawn international criticism for his treatment of Indigenous communities and the Amazon Rainforest, as well as for his management of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 687,000 people in Brazil.
His reelection campaign has emphasized his socially conservative platform, including his opposition to abortion, transgender rights, legalized drugs, and restrictions on freedom of religion and speech. He also positions himself as the business-friendly candidate, backing a more open-market economy and the privatization of state companies.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. One of the most popular leaders in Brazilian history, Lula served two terms as president between 2003 and 2010, presiding over an economic boom that lifted tens of millions of Brazilians out of poverty. He was later imprisoned on corruption charges as part of a sweeping national investigation, though the conviction was later annulled.
