The majority of Brazilians say they are insecure, discouraged and afraid of the future when reflecting on the country, according to research. The survey shows that, seven months before the general elections, negative feelings prevail in the mood of voters in general and appear more intensely among those who disapprove of the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).
According to Datafolha, 69% of respondents cited feeling insecure, while 29% said they felt safe. There was also a majority of those indicating discouragement (61%); fear of the future (61%); and sadness (59%). On the other hand, the rates of positive feelings were in the minority: happiness (38%), excitement (37%) and confidence in the future (37%).
The mostly negative sentiment is standard in the historical series. This time, however, according to Datafolha, it fell compared to October 2018 or at least registered levels similar to those captured in previous surveys.
This time, among those interviewed who said they disapproved of Lula’s management, 93% said they were unsure; 88%, discouraged; and 87%, sad. Among those who approve of the PT government, these numbers were 53%, 66% and 66%, respectively.
Still according to the survey, among those who plan to vote for Flávio Bolsonaro (PL), 89% said they were insecure, compared to 41% of those who indicated support for Lula in the election.
Negative feelings also predominate among those who intend to vote in a possible third way in the elections: 88% of those who voted for Ratinho Junior (PSD) and 81% who cited support for Romeu Zema (Novo) said they were insecure. Among those who plan to vote blank or cancel their vote, the rate was 87%.
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Regarding voting in 2022, 90% of Jair Bolsonaro’s voters in that election now said they were insecure, compared to 46% of those who supported Lula at the time.
The survey was carried out between March 3 and 5 with 2,004 people aged 16 and over across the country. The margin of error is two percentage points and the confidence level is 95%. The survey is registered with the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) under number BR-03715/2026.
