<
https://theconversation.com/another-stress-test-for-democracy-the-imminent-election-crisis-in-brazil-191492>
"Brazilians have gone to the polls to cast their ballots in the first round of
the country’s presidential election. No clear winner has emerged under
Brazilian electoral requirements, so there will be another round of voting on
Oct. 30.
Candidates need more than 50 per cent of the popular vote to become president
in Brazil. Polls predicted that Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the former president
of Brazil known widely as Lula, would inch out incumbent right-wing president
Jair Bolsonaro. But the polls were wrong, and neither candidate hit the 50 per
cent threshold.
It’s unclear who will win in the second round, but one thing is obvious:
Bolsonaro’s brand of right-wing conservatism is growing, and so is its threat
to democracy.
The first round of votes saw a rise in strength in right-wing nationalism in
Brazil. Most of the candidates supported by Bolsonaro won their races in both
chambers of congress. The second round of voting will pit the two candidates’
competing ideologies against each other: one relies on hope and optimism, and
the other depends on violence and threats."
(Update: Lula won, but just barely.)
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
