Research shows that 34% of PT members say they are right-wing or center-right, while 14% of Bolsonaro supporters say they are left-wing or center-left.
For political scientists heard by Sheetthe phenomenon can be explained by the lack of clarity about the concepts, the influence of the personal charisma of Lula and Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and political polarization, among other factors.
According to the survey, 47% of Brazilians define themselves as right-wing or center-right, and another 28% as left-wing or center-left. At the same time, 40% declare that they are PT members, and 34%, Bolsonaro supporters.
The institute interviewed 2,002 people aged 16 or over between December 2nd and 4th, in 113 municipalities. The margin of error is plus or minus two percentage points.
Datafolha asked how the interviewee fits in, considering a scale from 1 (bolsonarista) to 5 (PTista). Those who placed themselves in positions 4 and 5 were classified as PT members and those who placed themselves in positions 1 and 2 as Bolsonarists. Those who identified themselves in position 3 were considered neutral.
When dividing by ideological spectrum, the question was “in which political position would you place yourself, with 1 being the most on the left and 7 being the most on the right?”. Those who fell into positions 1 and 2 were considered left-wing, 3, center-left, 4, center, 5, center-right, and 6 and 7, right-wing.
The data crossing showed that around a third of PT members (34%) say they are right-wing or center-right, 9% say they are center-wing, 47% say they are left-wing or center-left, and 9% said they do not know how to classify themselves.
Bolsonarists identified themselves more consistently within the ideological spectrum with which they are associated (76% right-wing or center-right), but 14% said they were left-wing or center-left. Only 2% could not answer the question, and 8% said they were centrist.
For Bruno Bolognesi, political scientist and professor at UFPR (Federal University of Paraná), the explanation for the apparent incongruity lies in the overlapping of concepts in the electorate, influenced by the charisma of Lula and Bolsonaro. He also states that classification on the political spectrum is currently more linked to personal values.
“A person who is 60 years old and was a PT member since the founding of the party nowadays identifies with the , but is super conservative. Catholic PTism, for example, which is super strong in the south of Brazil, is an absolutely conservative PTism”, he explains.
“The same thing happens with Bolsonarism. There are evangelical people who are highly statist, who support Bolsa Família and workers’ rights.”
For political scientist Elias Tavares, the data reveals how Brazilian voters organize their political identities. “There is a clear separation between formal ideological identity, right and left, and concrete political identity, such as PT and Bolsonarism.”
He agrees that PT members who call themselves right-wing, for example, can combine support for the PT with positions associated with the right on issues such as customs and public security.
He also sees the possible influence of a lack of clarity about concepts and the effects of polarization, which would push voters to make binary choices in some cases, but use other categories in a less strict way.
“The label ‘PTista’ or ‘Bolsonarista’ works much more as a side marker in the dispute than as an ideological expression. Often, voters identify with one of these camps mainly to differentiate themselves from the other, not because they fully share their ideas.”
For Luis Gustavo Teixeira, doctor in political science and professor at Unipampa (Federal University of Pampa), the Brazilian electorate tends to fit less into ideological classification and have a more direct relationship with their leaders.
“Political influences in Brazil and Latin America tend to be linked much more to elements that are typical of the political thought of populist leaders than to bodies of thought more to the left or right.”
According to Marcus Ianoni, professor of political science at UFF (Universidade Federal Fluminense), the way in which the question was asked to the interviewee can also influence the result of the research.
“Datafolha would need to explain what it understands as left and right, as this understanding impacts the methodology and results. Furthermore, the survey should collect what the interviewees understand as left and right and what, according to them, is left and right in both Bolsonarism and PTism.”
