Key facts
- Osasco, a former industrial city, switched its first-round presidential vote from Lula da Silva in 2022 to Flávio Bolsonaro this month.
- Brazil's presidential runoff election is scheduled for Sunday between Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro.
- The working class in Brazil has shifted from predominantly industrial to service and gig economy workers.
- Bolsonaro supporters cite a desire for change, frustration with the economy, crime, and corruption.
- Lula's campaign is using social media and rallies to mobilize voters and counter high abstention rates.
The presidential race in Brazil is being significantly influenced by a transformation within the working class, leading many traditional supporters of President Lula da Silva to consider or switch to challenger Flávio Bolsonaro. In Osasco, a city that exemplifies this shift, former industrial workers have been replaced by service sector employees and gig economy participants. This demographic change, coupled with economic frustrations over inflation, taxes, and high public spending, has fueled a desire for change among voters who previously supported Lula.
While Lula's campaign highlights his past achievements in workers' rights and poverty reduction, his re-election bid faces challenges from voters seeking new economic policies and a different political direction. Bolsonaro's platform includes proposals for government spending cuts and tax reductions, though he has indicated a continuation of some welfare programs. The campaign is also leveraging social media and large rallies to mobilize voters, particularly in response to high abstention rates observed in the first round.