Brazilian President’s Popularity Inspires Movement to Extend His Time in Office

Brazil's Lula The high popularity of Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – a record 64% of Brazilians consider his administration good or excellent, according to the latest DataFolha poll – has encouraged legislators from the allied base in the government to propose a constitutional amendment that would keep Lula in power for two extra years beyond the two four-year terms he was elected for.

The Brazilian congressmen wish not only to extend Lula's presidency to 2012 but also do the same to governors, House representatives and senators. Starting in 2012 everyone elected for any of these posts would stay in power for five years and would be forbidden to seek reelection.

One of the authors of the idea, congressman Devanir Ribeiro, from the ruling Workers Party (PT) argues that the change would eliminate the present system in which voters go to the polls every two years.

"We need someone strong, the president has this popularity," says Ribeiro. "Brazil needs a man like him. In the two years that we legislators have left,  we won't be able to foster political reform. So, this idea might end the paralysis that befalls the country every two years due to the elections."

When Ribeiro proposed last year a referendum to allow Lula to run for a third term of office (the constitution was amended during the presidency of Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Lula's predecessor, so that Cardoso could be reelected) leaders of the Workers Party called the suggestion an "antidemocratic tactic."

The DataFolha results, which are released in the wake of the publication that Brazil had a 6% GDP growth in the first half of the year,  show for the first time ever Lula with a majority support among people with a college degree (55%), among families whose earnings are above 10 minimum wages, among the Southeast population, the largest (57%) and finally among the metropolitan areas (57%).

The new poll shows Lula's popularity at its highest level since he took office in 2003. DataFolha polled 2,981 people over the age of 16 in 212 Brazilian cities, between September 8 and September 11. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

DataFolha also showed how recent Brazilian presidents fared, presenting the best evaluation each of them had during their term in office:

Fernando Collor de Mello, who resigned to avoid impeachment (1990-1992): 36%

Itamar Franco (1992-1994): 41%

Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1995-1998): 47%

Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1999-2002): 31%

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003-2006): 53%

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2007-2010): 64%

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil Opens New Lines of Trade with Mexico and Italy

At a meeting this Monday, June 12, in the Itamaraty Palace, Brazil’s Foreign Relations ...

Brazil and Argentina Ban US Dollar in Their Trade Transactions

Mercosur’s leading members Argentina and Brazil have agreed on a pilot Project to eliminate ...

A Brazilian Company Dedicated to Green, Sustainable Products

The skate conceived by Rio de Janeiro-based company Fibra Design Sustentável is elegant, well-finished ...

Brazil’s Fish Story: Big Plans to Develop Amazon’s Aquaculture

Brazil's Amazon currently produces approximately 200,000 tons of fishery products – around 20% of ...

Brazilian cattle

Future Is Close: In 10 Years Brazil Will Be Planet’s Main Food Warehouse

The adjectives are many and voiced loudly all around: Brazil is the world’s warehouse; ...

Brazil: Churrasco Is No Barbecue

Churrasco is a culinary tradition in Brazil. It is composed mainly of top quality ...

Brazil Wants South African Drones to Protect Its Oil and Borders

During Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s recent trip to several African countries ...

US Invites Brazil’s Agriculture Minister to Teach About Ethanol

While gas prices have skyrocketed during the past five years in the US and ...

20% of the 48,000 Brazilians Murdered Every Year Are Killed by the Police

The police of Brazil are responsible for a significant proportion of the 48,000 murders ...

Lula’s Candidate to the Presidency Vows Ruling Brazil with Woman’s Soul

Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s former cabinet chief, Dilma Rousseff, was officially ...