The controversy over the Federal Highway Police’s action was just the latest episode of a disastrous election, marked by the collapse of public debate and the explosion of political violence.
In this environment, Lula’s victory (by a narrow margin) in the election is the beginning of a long process of government transition.
The next stage will be the race for international recognition. Once a mere formality, this stage has become an essential element of the process of establishing power in the era of crisis in democracies. Everything indicates that recognition of Lula’s victory by national and multilateral entities will be carried out in record time.
In Europe and the Americas, heads of state have already pledged to act quickly, pushing the limits of diplomatic protocols.
In a succession of unprecedented gestures of engagement, Washington sent the secretary of defense to Brasilia in August, passed a resolution in defense of democracy in Brazil in the Senate and, last week, touted the possibility of nominating Jack Sullivan, one of the highest ranking officials. of the State, to accompany the transition in Brasilia.
The heads of government of Portugal and Spain went even further and took the risk of declaring support for Lula in the final stretch of the campaign, and the European Union expressed its commitment to the Brazilian electoral process on several occasions.
This decision was attested by the displacement of countless European deputies to Brazil in the second round. The last few days have made it clear that the preservation of Brazilian democracy is a matter of survival for democracies around the world.
Although gigantic, the challenges of Lula’s third term are not entirely different from the obstacles faced by other democratic leaders.
Joseph Biden and Emmanuel Macron also had to deal with new scenarios when they defeated the far right in 2020 and 2022. The American, like Lula, has as his main asset the experience of dealing with Congress and the legitimacy derived from the health and climate crises , to reposition the state in society.
The Brazilian president-elect carries, however, two decisive advantages. On a domestic level, the second round dispute paved the way for building the necessary alliance to govern a country in authoritarian drift.
In an international scenario ruined by the populist wave and party bankruptcy, Lula has in his favor the conjuncture and the legitimacy to position Brazil as a central actor. With a few notable and rare exceptions, such as Nelson Mandela, the countries of the Global South have never elected a president with such authority to weigh in on global governance.
It is no accident that his first campaign act was a quasi-state visit to Paris last year.
It was clear that geopolitics and climate policy would be key to calming the extreme right’s contestation and consolidating governability.
If there is one certainty about Lula’s third term, it is that it will be global.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
