Lula’s approval rating rose to 30% in September, up 5 points since June, according to a new Ipsos-Ipec survey released Thursday (11). The poll shows three in ten Brazilians rate his administration as ‘great’ or ‘good’, while negative ratings fell from 43% to 38%. Those who consider the government’s performance ‘regular’ make up 31%, a 2-point increase from the previous poll.
The approval rate saw the most significant growth among respondents who voted for Lula in 2022 (up from 53% to 61%) and residents of Brazil’s Northeast (from 38% to 46%). On the other hand, rejection of the president dropped notably among far-right voters: among those who supported Jair Bolsonaro, disapproval decreased from 75% to 67%. Among men, it fell from 48% to 41%, and among voters in the North and Center-West, from 50% to 39%.
The percentage of Brazilians who approve of how Lula governs the country also rose to 44%, while disapproval fell to 51%, a 4-point drop since June. Confidence in the president increased slightly from 37% to 41%, while 56% still say they do not trust him.
When asked if the Lula government is performing better, worse, or the same as expected, 44% said ‘worse’ — down 6 points compared to June. About 30% said it matched their expectations (up 2 points), while 24% said it was better than expected (up 4 points). The poll interviewed 2,000 people in 132 cities between September 4 and 8. The margin of error is ±2 percentage points.
Breakdown on approval
Approval is highest among:
Lula voters in 2022 (61%)
Residents of the Northeast (46%)
People with low educational attainment (40%)
Those earning up to the minimum wage (about US$250/month) (37%)
Catholics (37%)
Disapproval is higher among:
Bolsonaro voters in 2022 (67%)
Residents of the South (52%)
Families earning over 5 minimum wages (about US$1,250/month) (48%)
Families earning between 2 and 5 minimum wages (about US$500 to US$1,250/month) (45%)
Evangelicals (46%)
White respondents (44%)
