Proper-wing wins in Brazil’s Congress present endurance of ‘Bolsonarismo’ By Reuters

(Corrects so as to add PL occasion’s allies in third paragraph)

By Anthony Boadle

BRASILIA (Reuters) -A powerful election night time for allies of President Jair Bolsonaro have given his occasion essentially the most seats in each chambers of Congress, highlighting the enduring energy of his conservative motion even when he falls wanting re-election.

His right-wing Liberal Get together (PL), received 99 seats within the 513-member decrease home, up from 77, and right-leaning events allied with Bolsonaro now management half the chamber.

The larger shock in Sunday’s voting was within the Senate the place Bolsonaro’s occasion and its election allies received 13 of the 27 seats up for grabs, a celebration spokesman stated.

“Towards all odds and everybody, we received 2 million extra votes this yr than in 2018,” Bolsonaro posted on social media in Monday’s early hours. “We additionally elected the most important benches within the decrease home and the Senate, which was our important precedence.”

Bolsonaro helped elect allies to the Senate who had trailed in opinion polls, similar to former ministers Damares Alves and Paulo Pontes. Alves, an evangelical ally, defeated the Senate candidate from Bolsonaro’s personal occasion.

The robust right-wing displaying in legislative and gubernatorial races, particularly in additional prosperous southeast Brazil, made Bolsonaro the election’s massive winner. He additionally denied his leftist presidential rival Luis Inacio Lula da Silva outright victory and consolidated a political base that may assist him govern if he wins the Oct. 30 run-off.

Whereas most political analysts nonetheless see former president Lula successful, his victory is now not a slam dunk.

Lula’s Staff Get together received 10 extra seats within the decrease home of Congress, the place it stays the second-largest occasion with 68 representatives. But when elected, Lula will face a more durable time getting laws by way of a extra conservative Congress.

Bolsonaro’s allies additionally made advances in state politics, together with races for governor.

His former Infrastructure Minister Tarcisio Freitas, who took half in motorbike rallies with Bolsonaro, received essentially the most votes for governor of Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest state, and can face Lula ally Fernando Haddad in an Oct. 30 runoff.

Bolsonaro boasted of serving to to get eight governors elected outright, with hopes of electing eight extra within the second spherical.

“That is the best victory for patriots within the historical past of Brazil: 60% of the Brazilian territory shall be ruled by those that defend our values ​​and combat for a freer nation,” he tweeted.

Lula put an optimistic spin on the consequence, saying he was wanting ahead to a different month on the marketing campaign path and the prospect to debate Bolsonaro head-to-head.