A survey found that, although 81% of Brazilians consider democracy the best government system, more than half of the population (55%) is dissatisfied with the regime in the country.
The data comes from a survey conducted by the Democracy Observatory of the Attorney General’s Office (AGU) and the Institute for Social, Political and Economic Research (Ipespe).
Compared to other countries, only 15% of Brazilians disagree that democracy is the best form of government, a lower rate than Argentina (20%), Chile (25%) and Colombia (34%).
However, 70% of Brazilians perceive that democracy is under threat, a fact that reinforces the need for measures to strengthen the system.
Powers and institutions
Interviewees also expressed concerns about the relationship between the three Powers in Brazil. For 65% of the population, this relationship is conflictual, and 31% point out that there is often interference between the Powers.
Despite this, 49% said they prioritize political issues in the municipality where they live, demonstrating greater local engagement.
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Another highlight of the study was Brazilians’ trust in institutions. The Armed Forces lead with 58%, followed by churches (55%) and the police (52%). On the other hand, political parties and social networks have the lowest trust levels, with 13% and 18%, respectively.
The survey also showed that 59% of Brazilians believe that democracy has recently faced risks of a coup. Episodes of police violence and the alleged coup attempt in 2022 reinforce this perception, as does the Federal Police (PF) investigation that revealed the involvement of military personnel in undemocratic acts.
The research also highlighted the importance of social networks in disseminating information. For 69% of those interviewed, fake news significantly interferes in elections, and 70% believe that platforms like WhatsApp should be regulated to contain misinformation.
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In relation to the judicial system, the Federal Supreme Court (STF) has the trust of 38% of the population, while judges and judges account for 47%. The Electoral Court, in turn, is trusted by 46% of Brazilians, but faces challenges related to misinformation during electoral elections. The National Congress has the trust of only 17% of those interviewed.
The search
With 3 thousand Brazilians interviewed by telephone between November 30 and December 5, the survey’s margin of error was 1.8 percentage points. The research explored eight main areas, such as trust in institutions, citizen participation and threats to the democratic system.
