Unpacking Brazil's Political Divide: Professor Timothy Power analyses the roots of polarisation

Professor Power traced a timeline from the attack on Brazil’s Congress on 8 January 2023 all the way to the political shifts beginning in 2013, and even further to the legacy of Brazil's military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985.

He examined the roots and impacts of Brazil’s deepening polarisation, drawing insightful comparisons to other moments in Brazil’s post-redemocratisation history. His analysis provided a nuanced framework for understanding today’s political divides, based on voting patterns in the Brazilian Congress.

Professor Power offered a comprehensive overview of Brazil’s political landscape since 1985 before delving into the emergence of Brazil's new right-wing movements, which have effectively harnessed social media and digital platforms to engage voters.

The talk concluded with a lively Q&A session, sparking dialogue on the resilience of Brazil’s democratic institutions and the challenges they face in a polarised political climate.

The event, organised by the King’s Brazil Institute under the leadership of Dr Andreza Aruska de Souza Santos, was sponsored by the law firm Mattos Filho, and supported by the Embassy of Brazil in London.

It attracted a diverse audience beyond academics and students. Notable attendees included lawyer Rodrigo Ferreira Figueiredo and Minister-Counsellor Alexandre Brasil da Silva.