Brazil´s Mood Improves with World Cup and Dilma Rousseff Gains Ground

07/03/2014 - 11h57

The World Cup has swayed the general mood in Brazil and seems to be influencing the government´s rating, the economic outlook and even the presidential elections. Politically speaking, president Dilma Rousseff (PT) has benefitted the most.

An opinion poll carried out by Datafolha on Wednesday 2nd shows that the proportion of voters in favour of the World Cup in Brazil has risen from 51% to 63% in a month. Feeling of pride related to the World Cup jumped from 45% to 60%.

In the meantime, support for Dilma is up from 34% to 38% -the largest variation among all candidates- while support for the government has also risen from 33% to 35%.

During the same period, Senator Aécio Neves (PSDB) was up from 19% to 20%. Support for Eduardo Campos (PSB) climbed from 7% to 9%, breaking his tie with Pastor Everaldo (PSC) who remains at 4%.

Increased support for Dilma is within the poll´s margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points. But it is more likely that support for her has grown as opposed to stagnated. Other data included in the survey also suggest this.

In the spontaneous vote poll, where candidates´ names are not mentioned, Dilma went from 19% to 25%.

In terms of the economy, the change in mood is reflected with regards to expected inflation (falling from 64% to 58%), unemployment (from 48% to 43%) and purchasing power (up from 27% to 32% of those expecting an improvement.)

Currently 30% believe the economy will improve, up from 26% in June. And 48% are now optimistic with their own economic situation, compared with 42% a month ago.

Datafolha also reveals that 76% believe that the fans that jeered at the president during the opening World Cup game in São Paulo were wrong. Aécio and Campos supporters also had disapproval rates of 69% and 72% respectively.

The poll of 2, 857 people was carried out on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd.

Translated by MILLI LEGRAIN

Read the article in the original language

	Editoria de Arte/Folhapress