'The Brazilian elections and Lula's victory show that democracy and democratization are never-ending processes,' says political scientist Ela Atienza.
MANILA, Philippines – In one of the closest races for the presidency in Brazil, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva beat the incumbent Jair Bolsonaro to retake the country’s highest post. The victory marked the comeback of the leftist leader against a far-right administration, and for many watching around the globe, roused hope in a struggle to defend democracy worldwide.
What should countries like the Philippines and forces seeking to defend democracy learn from Lula’s victory?Lula’s return to power comes nearly 10 years after he held Brazil’s highest post. In the years between, he faced corruption charges relating to a vast government kickback scheme that took place during his administration, leaving many to believe it would be the end of his political career.
“Winning an election is just the result of this long process of politicizing the space given them as an opposition,” Aguirre said. Strong party systems likewise aid in coalition-building, with loyalty among political party members stemming more from ideology than personality. This stands in contrast to countries like the Philippines, where personalities and political dynasties rule.
“The second-round voting really forces parties to get more support by courting losing parties in the first round. This promotes the practices and culture of coalition-building, negotiations, compromises,” Aguirre said. Aguirre added, “The usual pattern that we are seeing among the latest electoral victories over far-right parties is the alignment of left and center-left forces forming a majority coalition capable of winning elections and dominating a parliament.”While Lula’s victory saw the defeat of Bolsonaro’s far-right administration, the close fight between the two politicians shows that right-wing politics continues to thrive and remain in the mainstream.
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