Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva remains the top contender in the Brazilian presidential election, according to a poll by Datafolha published in Folha de Sao Paulo. 42 per cent of respondents would support the Worker’s Party (PT) member in the first round.

Sao Paulo governor Geraldo Alckmin of the Brazilian Party of Social Democracy (PSDB) is second with 23 per cent, followed by Anthony Garotinho of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) with 12 per cent, former PT member and senator Heloisa Helena of the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL) six per cent, and Roberto Freire of the Socialist People’s Party (PPS) with three per cent.

Lula—a three-time presidential candidate—won the October 2002 election with 61 per cent of the vote in a run-off against the PSDB’s Jose Serra. In the first round, Lula received 47 per cent of the vote, while Serra garnered 24 per cent. In a prospective run-off against Alckmin, Lula holds a 12-point advantage.

Last year, the Brazilian government was the target of criticism after Brazilian Labour Party (PTB) member Roberto Jefferson declared that members of two political organizations—the Liberal Party (PL) and the Progressive Party (PP)—received payments of up to $12,000 U.S. from the government in exchange for support in the legislative branch. Jefferson has so far provided no evidence to back his allegations.

Yesterday, Alckmin proposed a "Chilean-style alliance" in order to defeat Lula in the election, declaring, "The opposition parties have a respectful relationship, and it is up to us to see if we can see this coalition come to fruition." Party of the Liberal Front (PFL) member Jorge Bornhausen agreed with the idea, adding, "We must stop this incompetent government that has been weak in dealing with corruption."

The presidential election is scheduled for Oct. 1. If no candidate garners more than 50 per cent of all cast ballots, a run-off will take place on Oct. 29.

Polling Data

If the 2006 presidential election took place today, and the candidates were these, who would you vote for?

                                      Mar. 17      Feb. 21      Feb. 2

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT)      42%          43%           36%

Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB)            23%          17%           20%

Anthony Garotinho (PMDB)         12%          11%           13%

Heloisa Helena (PSOL)              6%           6%             7%

Roberto Freire (PPS)                 3%           2%             2%

* Run-Off Scenario

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) 50% - 38% Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB)

Source: Datafolha / Folha de Sao Paulo

Methodology: Interviews with 3,801 Brazilian adults, conducted on Mar. 16 and Mar. 17, 2006. Margin of error is 2 per cent.

(Published Angus Reid, March 21, 2006)

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