Pablo Marçal’s campaign for mayor of São Paulo in 2024 highlights the intersection between digital populism and far-right politics, reflecting a global trend in which political outsiders take advantage of digital platforms to reshape electoral dynamics.
In Brazil, voting is mandatory for most of the adult population. Even so, between 2014 and 2024, the abstention rate showed a growth trend, reaching 29.26% in the second round of the 2024 elections, according to data from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). To better understand these factors, we conducted a statistical analysis using data from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), complemented by data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), which included a linear regression to identify the most influential variables affecting voter turnout rates.
Amid growing debates about Brazil’s economic policy, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has indicated to his allies that he does not intend to make public demands on economist Gabriel Galípolo, his nominee to take over as president of the Central Bank from January 2025. This position shows a change in the relationship between Lula and the Central Bank. It is worth remembering that this is Lula’s first appointment after the institution gained operational autonomy in 2021. Galípolo’s appointment and tacit support for stricter interest rate policies raise questions about why Lula, historically critical of the Central Bank’s autonomy, is now adopting a more open and moderate stance.
