Popularity of Brazil government on the rise: poll

Brazil Government Logo. Photo courtesy of brazign.com

The popularity of Brazil's government rose in September, apparently unaffected by an ongoing bribery trial, AFP reports citing a poll. Sixty-two percent of those surveyed by the Ibope institute said it was doing a "good" or "very good" job, an increase from 59 percent in June. The government got highest marks for its fight against poverty and unemployment and its lowest for its handling of health and education issues. A mere sixteen percent of those polled spontaneously mentioned the bribery trial over alleged vote-buying in Congress under former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Rousseff's predecessor and political mentor. Thirty-eight former ministers, lawmakers, businessmen and bankers are facing prosecution before the Supreme Court on the basis of the allegations that arose during Lula's first term. Political analysts had speculated that the trial might hurt Rousseff, but the 64-year-old is held in high regard, with an approval rating of 77 percent, according to the poll. The National Confederation of Industry, which commissioned the survey, attributed the government's improved rating to measures announced to stimulate the economy, particularly a cut in electricity rates. During her second year in office, Rousseff has been focusing on breathing new life into a sluggish economy reeling from the global slowdown. The government is projecting only two percent GDP growth this year, after 2.7 percent last year and 7.5 percent in 2010.

The popularity of Brazil's government rose in September, apparently unaffected by an ongoing bribery trial, AFP reports citing a poll. Sixty-two percent of those surveyed by the Ibope institute said it was doing a "good" or "very good" job, an increase from 59 percent in June. The government got highest marks for its fight against poverty and unemployment and its lowest for its handling of health and education issues. A mere sixteen percent of those polled spontaneously mentioned the bribery trial over alleged vote-buying in Congress under former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Rousseff's predecessor and political mentor. Thirty-eight former ministers, lawmakers, businessmen and bankers are facing prosecution before the Supreme Court on the basis of the allegations that arose during Lula's first term. Political analysts had speculated that the trial might hurt Rousseff, but the 64-year-old is held in high regard, with an approval rating of 77 percent, according to the poll. The National Confederation of Industry, which commissioned the survey, attributed the government's improved rating to measures announced to stimulate the economy, particularly a cut in electricity rates. During her second year in office, Rousseff has been focusing on breathing new life into a sluggish economy reeling from the global slowdown. The government is projecting only two percent GDP growth this year, after 2.7 percent last year and 7.5 percent in 2010.

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