Brazil President Dilma Rousseff has lost ground among voters on worries about Brazil’s faltering economy ahead of the Oct. 5 election, which will likely go to a tighter second-round vote, according to a poll published on Friday.
Rousseff is still the favorite to win re-election, but support for the left-leaning president has dropped to 34%, from 37% in a poll last month, and 10% points since February, polling firm Datafolha said.
The poll helped propel Brazil’s benchmark Bovespa stock index to its biggest gain in over a month, of over 2.6%, as shares of state-run firms rallied.
Investors in those companies, which include oil producer Petroleo Brasileiro SA, known as Petrobras, hope a new administration will enact policies more favorable to business interests.
Rousseff still has a large – though shrinking – lead over her closest rival, Aécio Neves of the centrist Brazilian Social Democracy Party. In the poll, Neves slipped one percentage point to 19%.
Behind him was Eduardo Campos, the Brazilian Socialist Party candidate, whose share of voting preferences fell to 7% from 11 percent in May.
Rousseff must win at least 50% plus one of the valid votes cast on Oct. 5 or the election will go to a run-off.
Her lead over Neves in a second-round vote has shrunk to 8% points from 11 points in May.
Pessimism about the economy is focused on concern inflation will rise and employment will fall, the poll showed.
Thirty-five percent of voters say they will never vote for Rousseff (up from 31% a month ago), while Neves’ negatives have come down.
wirestory
Leave a Reply