The Economist says Lula should not run for a new term

An editorial published by the British magazine The Economist this Tuesday, 30, states that president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva should not run for a new term in 2026 due to his age. According to the publication, candidates over the age of 80 represent “high risks” to political and institutional stability, even when they are experienced and popular.

Lula is compared to Joe Biden, the former American president who gave up running for re-election due to limitations imposed by age. According to the publication, the Brazilian president is 80 years old and, if re-elected, he would complete a possible fourth term at 85. “Lula is just one year younger than Joe Biden was in the same period of the 2024 electoral cycle in the United States, and that ended disastrously”, recalls the text, which also states that the Brazilian’s charisma “is no shield against cognitive decline”.

The article assesses that the Brazilian president had a year marked by institutional tensions and international disputes, but even survived the trade dispute with the United States. However, he says that Lula’s centrality limits political renewal in the country.

According to the publication, in addition to his government’s age and “mediocre” economic policies, Lula’s new electoral campaign would be marked by the corruption scandals that unfolded during his first two terms, for which “many Brazilians cannot forgive him”.

The text, published with an illustration showing a gray-haired Lula, with a Brazilian flag and a voting booth in the background, also mentions the arrest of former president Jair Bolsonaro for plotting a coup d’état. Remember that the President of the United States, Donald Trump, falsely claimed that it was all a setup and imposed heavy punitive tariffs on Brazilian products, but later backtracked.

The newspaper argues that Brazil should go through a process of political renewal and President Lula could give way to a new generation of leaders, as he had promised, during the 2022 campaign, not to run for a fourth term. He notes, however, that so far there are no clear signs that Lula is preparing a successor from the left or the center.

The publication cites an intense dispute on the right to occupy the space left by Bolsonaro’s arrest, who, even after being convicted, still maintains “a surprising number” of supporters, especially among evangelicals. The text recalls that Bolsonaro nominated his son, senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) as a possible presidential candidate, but classifies him as “unpopular” and “ineffective”.

The British magazine highlights other possible candidates for the presidency, such as the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), described as “considerate” and “democratic”, in addition to being much younger than the current president.

The publication concludes that the 2026 elections will be decisive for Brazil’s political future and recommends a center-right candidate who balances the preservation of the environment, the fight against organized crime and respect for the rule of law and civil liberties.