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Published 20:23 IST, December 10th 2022

'It hurts my soul', says Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro on electoral defeat against Lula da Silva

Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro has spoken for the first time in public about his defeat in the recently conducted Brazilian Presidential elections.

Reported by: Sagar Kar
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Image: AP | Image: self

Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro has spoken for the first time in public about his defeat in the recently conducted Brazilian Presidential elections, as per a report from the Canberra Times. Lula da Silva won a wafer thin victory over Jair Bolsonaro and recently Elon Musk said that Twitter might have intervened in the Brazilian elections, in favour of left wing candidates. After the results, Bolsonaro's supporters protested all over Brazil, and some even called for military intervention. Bolsonaro said that the defeat in Brazil elections hurt his soul. 

"Who decides where I go are you. Who decides which way the armed forces go are (is) you," Bolsonaro said. However, he also added that the army will respect the nation's constitution. As of now, he has reportedly not recognised Lula da Silva's victory in Brazil's elections. Bolosonaro consoled his supporters by saying "nothing is lost". He went on to say to his supporters that their cause will prevail one day. 

Why is Brazil politically unstable? 

Brazil has been an extremely unstable country since the military coup against its Emperor Dom Pedro II, in the year 1889. One of the major causes of political instability in Brazil is the country's history of military coups and authoritarian rule. Brazil experienced a number of military coups throughout the 20th century, and was ruled by a military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985. This history of authoritarianism has left a legacy of mistrust and division within Brazilian society, which has contributed to ongoing political instability.

Another cause of political instability in Brazil is the country's economic struggles and inequalities. Brazil has a highly unequal society, with a large gap between the wealthy elite and the poor majority. This inequality has contributed to social unrest and political instability, as many Brazilians feel that the government is not doing enough to address their economic needs.

Additionally, Brazil's complex political system, with its many parties and factions, has also contributed to political instability. The country has a system of proportional representation, which allows for the representation of many different parties in Congress. This can make it difficult to form stable governing coalitions, and has led to frequent changes in government and political instability.

Brazil's electoral system

In Brazil, the president is elected by popular vote for a term of four years. Presidential elections are held on the first Sunday in October, and if no candidate wins a majority of the vote in the first round, a second round is held between the top two candidates. The elections this year went to a 2nd round. 

In order to run for president, a candidate must be at least 35 years old and must be a Brazilian citizen. The Brazilian electoral system is based on a system of proportional representation, which means that political parties are awarded seats in the National Congress in proportion to the number of votes they receive. This allows for the representation of a wide range of political parties in Congress. The president of Brazil is both the head of state and the head of government, and is responsible for implementing national policies and representing the country on the international stage. The president is assisted by the vice president, who is elected on the same ballot and serves as the president's deputy.

Updated 20:23 IST, December 10th 2022