Runaway run-off?
Milei would seem to have every right to fancy his chances of soon having a kindred spirit in Brazil’s Planalto presidential palace but does this give him every reason to celebrate? Leer más
President Javier Milei's jubilation over Brazil's recent election results does not necessarily indicate a clear path for the far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro. While Bolsonaro currently leads by two percentage points, experts suggest that Lula would have needed a larger lead to have a chance of victory. Given that the eight percent of the vote going to opposing parties in this polarized race all went to right-of-center candidates, Lula may still have a shot at winning.
However, their past administrations were not characterized by close cooperation, which could work against their credibility in the run-off. Despite the slim margins, Lula's chances may be improved if he reframes the election as a rejection of Bolsonaro's policies. Brazil's election results have also revealed a divide between the left-leaning northern region and the economically-driven southern region.
With the election of Lula, his parliamentary position would still be precarious, similar to Milei's in 2023, with just nine PT senators and 70 deputies. While the ideological differences between Brazil and Argentina may widen, the outcome of this election could signal a growing trend towards the right in Latin America, including nations like Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, and Colombia. However, the future remains uncertain, as political shifts can be unpredictable.
Written by urgent.news from Buenos Aires Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
