Search

2007 was marked by a mismatch. On the one hand, Lula maintained high approval ratings and the economy went well. On the other, however, the president faced growing political difficulties with the parties and Congress. From an economic standpoint, fair winds from the global market brought many benefits to the country, which witnessed improvements in several indicators. Politically, a series of problems haunted the Legislative Branch, most of them associated with corruption scandals, paving the way to greater judicial activism. The national government proved to be ineffective in terms of political management, which was evidenced by the rejection of the renewal of a tax on financial transactions by the Senate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides the reader with a synthetic perspective of what was 2006 for Brazil, in terms of its economic, social and political aspects. Initially, the piece offers preliminary information on what has resonated in Brazil in the aforesaid year. Growing urban violence was one of the hallmarks of 2006. Detailed statistics on the general elections held by the end of the year are the backdrop to the analysis of Lula's re-election. The latter was to a great extent a consequence of his macroeconomic management and targeted social policies. Such policies also resulted in a shifting of the candidate's electoral base to the poorer parts of the country. The political crisis endured by Brazil in 2006 is explained by Lula's governing style, which produced a highly fragmented and poorly monitored executive coalition. Data on legislative output demonstrates the executive branch's control over the policy process. Finally, the ideology of political parties, and the organization and workings of the judicial branch and the federation are briefly described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]