2010 Brazilian general election

The president was elected using the two-round system; if no candidate received a majority in the first round of voting, a second round would be held. According to the Constitution, each state is represented by three senators elected by a majority of the votes. They are directly elected to an eight-year term, and there is no limit on the number of terms a senator may serve. Alternating, one third and then two thirds of the seats are up for election every four years. In 2006, one third of the seats were up for election and thus in 2010 two thirds of the seats were up for election, corresponding to two of the senators elected by each one of the 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District. The members of the Chamber of Deputies are elected by a system of proportional representation for a four-year term. ==Presidential candidates==

The candidates of the two major political groups of the country were Lula's former Chief of Staff, Dilma Rousseff, of the ruling centre-left democratic socialist/social democratic Workers' Party (PT), and São Paulo State former governor, José Serra, from the centre-right opposition coalition formed mainly by the Social Democratic Party (PSDB), and the right-wing Democrats (DEM). Another main candidate was Marina Silva, Lula's former Minister of Environment. She is the candidate for the Green Party (PV), which she joined on late 2009 after leaving the PT, which she helped establishing in the 1980s. She has obtained international recognition as a defender of the Amazon rainforest, but is less known in her native Brazil, being unable to obtain more support than the other two major candidates in opinion polls. Lula's potential successors As Lula was ineligible to run for a third consecutive term due to term limits established by the Brazilian constitution, speculation mounted in the years prior to the election around who might take the mantle of the Workers' Party in his absence. Though Lula was widely popular, many commentators speculated that his likely successors in the PT would fail to generate his populist touch. Polling conducted in Lula's second term found that a slim majority favored amending the constitution to allow Lula to run for a third term, but he opposed such efforts. Two of Lula's key allies tipped as potential successors, former Minister of Finance Antonio Palocci and former presidential Chief of Staff José Dirceu, were harmed by their involvement in the 2005 Mensalão scandal. In 2008, Lula announced that he wanted a woman to succeed him in the presidency. Former Mayor of São Paulo Marta Suplicy, who served at the helm of Brazil's largest city from 2001 to 2005, was considered to be, along with Dilma, the most likely candidate to lead the PT in the 2010 presidential election. After losing her bid for reelection in 2004, Suplicy was appointed by Lula to the position of Minister of Tourism, which was speculated to be an attempt at elevating her profile for a 2010 presidential bid. In 2008, Suplicy mounted another bid was for Mayor of São Paulo, which was seen as a precursor to a potential presidential bid in 2010; Suplicy lost the election, damaging her political fortunes. Ciro Gomes, former governor of Ceará and Minister for National Integration during Lula's first cabinet, was a possible candidate for the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB). In the years prior to the election, there was some speculation that Lula would support Ciro, a formal rival of his, in the 2010 election if no potential PT candidates appeared viable. Gomes, a populist who had appeared on third place in polls from May 2009 to April 2010, had been a presidential candidate in 1998 and 2002, when he had a poor result after making sexist remarks and struggling to control his temper. and served as Lula's vice presidential running-mate in the 1994 presidential election, was also mentioned as a possible successor. During the campaign, Serra sought to challenge the perception of the PSDB as an elitist party. Serra's moderate positions on social issues such as abortion and religious issues, where he took a secularist approach compared to many conservative politicians, was noted. Efforts by PSOL Heloísa Helena, a prominent former senator from Alagoas, considered a presidential candidacy on the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) ticket. On June 30, 2010, Plínio de Arruda Sampaio, a longtime politician who was formerly a senior PT official, was chosen to serve as PSOL's presidential nominee at the 2010 convention. There were speculations that PSOL would form a broad coalition with Marina Silva. As the media printed such news, the United Socialist Workers' Party announced that if this coalition was formed, it would launch the candidacy of its president José Maria de Almeida. However, a resolution approved by members of PSOL determined that the coalition would be formed if PV gave up its alliances with the Lula administration, PSDB, DEM, and neoliberal stances. Other candidacies The election also featured five candidates from smaller parties, bringing the number of presidential candidates to a total of nine. They are Ivan Pinheiro from the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB), José Maria de Almeida from the United Socialist Workers' Party (PSTU), Rui Costa Pimenta from the Workers' Cause Party (PCO), José Maria Eymael from the Christian Social Democratic Party (PSDC), and Levy Fidélix from the Brazilian Labour Renewal Party (PRTB). ) on the campaign trail in 2010 Candidates in the runoff Candidates failing to make the runoff == Campaign ==

The official campaign began on July 6, 2010. The Superior Electoral Court accepted the candidacies of all nine applicant candidates. According to the Superior Electoral Court's guidelines, once the official campaign began the candidates are allowed to participate on marches, motorcades, and use sound trucks to ask for votes and distributing leaflets. Rousseff was expected to continue Lula's foreign policy, boosting ties with developing nations, pushing for reform of multilateral bodies and lobbying for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. Public health One of the main public health issues debated in the election, raised by Rousseff's campaign, was addiction to crack cocaine. As a response to her campaign, Serra said he would establish clinics to treat addicts. He also said he would hand over 150 medical specialties clinics in two years. According to the Superior Electoral Court's guidelines, the candidates whose parties are not represented in the lower chamber of the National Congress were not able to participate in televised debates. from August 17 until September 30, 2010. The time allocated to each candidate is based on the number of seats held by the parties comprising their coalition in the Chamber of Deputies. In the other hand, Rousseff's programs have been noted for their professionalism and production quality, Journalist Ricardo Noblat commented on his blog that her first TV program seemed more like "a BBC documentary on the environment" than an electoral program. After the airing of Serra's second program, singer Elba Ramalho, which had one of her songs featured in it, released a note stating that she did not recorded the jingle used by the candidate, and that is not her voice featured in the program. Although she publicly supported Serra in 2002, she stated she would maintain her neutrality in this election. Serra's first television program was also the target of ridicule by Twitter users over the unintended double entendre of a phrase he said. In the video, which has been posted over 24 times on Google Video, he cites examples of people which benefited from his former public office experiences. Dilma had the best electoral programs for 56% of them, while Serra's programs were preferred by 34%. Heloísa Helena decided to leave the presidency of the party. She felt that the party "lacked identity" with the support to Rousseff. PSTU, in the other hand, advocated the null voting on the second round. PV held a convention, where most of the 92 voting members decided that the party should stay neutral in the second round. Party members were free to support either of the two candidates, but they were forbidden to use flags or other party symbols. Most of its directories and candidates had already supported Rousseff on the first round. ==Opinion polls==

From January 1, 2010 up to the day preceding the election, all polls had to be registered with the Superior Electoral Court. According to polls, Rousseff was most likely to have won the race in the first round with over 50% of the valid voting intentions. She had a rapid increase in her popularity since mid-2009, and thus consolidated her lead against Serra, who had led the polls for over two years. She was given a further boost when incumbent President Lula campaigned on her behalf on her television programmes. Marina Silva was not able to reach more than 10% in the polls, but at the end of the campaign she experienced a rapid boost, and achieved 14% at the last poll. The other candidates had been unable to reach more than 2%. The number of undecided voters and those who declared an intention to vote blank or null was at about 12% according to the last poll. ==Results ==

President Chamber of Deputies Senate ==International reactions==

• : President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso congratulated Rousseff for her victory in the presidential elections, and highlighted the historical significance of a woman to assume these functions for the first time in Brazil. "Allow me to highlight and congratulate you with the historical significance of the first election of a woman as President of the Federative Republic of Brazil," read the message sent by José Manuel Barroso to the new President of Brazil. The European leader recalled that "Brazil is a strategic partner of prime importance for the EU, sharing values and common strategic objectives" and advocated the continuation of Brazil's role in world affairs, a country "stronger, able to contribute to the resolution of global problems, to the stability and prosperity of Latin America and the intensification of bilateral relations with the European Union". According to Barroso, "The European Commission is confident that it will continue to work with Your Excellency and your Government in deepening the strategic partnership between the EU and Brazil, established in July 2007, and that it will further strengthen in the coming years". • : The Foreign Ministry issued a statement wishing success to Rousseff. "This victory affirms the continuity of policies that have been developed, both in Mercosur and Unasur, for the well-being of our peoples and the entire Latin American community."The statement also stressed the importance of the Brazilian election in consolidating democracy on the continent. • : President Evo Morales issued a statement calling Rousseff's victory as a "triumph of democracy". According to Morales, Rousseff with the support for Lula, re-imposed democracy in a "united Latin America that invests in change." She eventually visited Bulgaria in October 2011. • : Vice President Angelino Garzon stated that Colombia will maintain "a level of understanding" with Brazil following the election of the country's new president. "With the new Brazilian government, Colombia will maintain the excellent relations we have been having with President [Luiz Inácio] Lula [da Silva]," Garzon said. He added that Colombia intends to strengthen its relationship with the neighboring country and maintain cooperation between them. • : The Foreign Ministry expressed "their warm appreciation" to the government and people of Brazil for the second round of the presidential elections held the previous day which resulted in the election of Dilma Rousseff. "Costa Rica offers its warmest appreciation to the Brazilian people that once again demonstrated their proven talent for democratic freedom." • : An unnamed Salvadoran government agency issued a congratulatory message to Dilma Rousseff and published a photo of the president of El Salvador, Mauricio Funes, with a flag of the Worker's Party of Brazil. "Brazil is now the world leader of a new democratic order, popular, progressive and humanist." Funes is married to Brazilian Vanda Pignato. "On my behalf, and the first lady of the republic, my dear wife Wanda, and my son Gabriel, who is also a Brazilian citizen, as well as on behalf of the people and government of El Salvador, I extend our congratulations and shows affection of the elected president of Brazil", said Funes. • : President Bharrat Jagdeo sent a congratulatory message to Dilma Rousseff, expressing his "best wishes in preparing to assume the leadership of the country that has become one of the most progressive and influential of our hemisphere". He noted that both countries enjoy "excellent relations" and expressed confidence that Rousseff's policies for Brazil will allow the "continuation of political stability and a great economic and social progress". • : President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent a message of congratulations to Dilma, stating that he is "sure that in your term in office, Brazil will move faster in the path of progress and development...and Iran-Brazil ties have considerably expanded in the recent years and I am sure that this trend will continue in your term in office." • : President Felipe Calderón contacted Rousseff by telephone and expressed his willingness to "continue the strengthening of bilateral relations", and conveyed his approval "for his exemplary civic and democratic exercise" of the election. • : King Mohammed VI sent a congratulatory message to Rousseff. In this message, the Monarch expressed to Rousseff his best wishes for good health, happiness and success in her high office and in her endeavours to lead the Brazilian people towards further progress and prosperity. "The democratic choice expressed by the people of Brazil is a tribute to your lofty human qualities and vast political experience. It attests to the Brazilian people's trust in your ability to lead your country towards further social and economic accomplishments and enhance its standing at regional and international levels," the King said. • : President Daniel Ortega sent an enthusiastic greeting to Dilma Rousseff, for her victory in the presidential elections, "What a joy and blessing the triumph of a woman as president of immense Brazil, that integrates cultures and proposals; Brazil that has grown amongst the world, with a worthy policy demanding recognition and participation of the [nations of the] South, against the rich arrogant powers of the North," reads the message. • : President Fernando Lugo spoke by telephone with the president-elect of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, to congratulate her electoral victory, said the Paraguayan Minister of Justice and Labour, Humberto Blasco. Miguel Lopez Perito, Chief of Staff, said that Rousseff's election "represents a favorable position" to Paraguay. • : President Alan Garcia expressed his most sincere congratulations and best wishes on behalf of the people and Government of Peru. He expressed interest and commitment of his Government to further strengthen and deepen the strategic ties between Peru and Brazil, said the report issued by the Presidency. • : President Aníbal Cavaco Silva signed an official statement that says he is confident that the mandate of Dilma Rousseff "[will] provide a renewed opportunity to deepen our relationship and our strategic cooperation. You can, Your Excellency, have my strong personal commitment accordingly." Silva invited the President-elect to visit Portugal soon. "I ask you to accept my hope for the personal happiness of Your Excellency and the continued prosperity and progress of the brotherly people of Brazil" concluded the president. Prime Minister Jose Socrates also congratulated the president-elect. • : Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero sent a telegram of congratulations to Dilma Rousseff that highlights that he will continue to work to maintain good relations between the two countries. The State Department also separately congratulated Rousseff on her win. "The exemplary electoral process again illustrates Brazil's long-standing respect for democratic governance, civil rights and individual liberties, values that we share in common," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said in a statement. "We look forward to working with president-elect Dilma Rousseff to deepen our partnership and advance common goals for the benefit of our two peoples and the Americas." • : President José Mujica spoke by telephone with President-elect Dilma Rousseff and expressed his satisfaction with her electoral success. • : President Hugo Chávez congratulated Dilma at the end of his TV show "Aló Presidente," saying: "Sister, friend, welcome to the club. I send you a kiss, a hug. Viva Lula!" ==Analysis==

One of the important outcomes of the election was seen as the role of new media. Al Jazeera English also analysed the difference between the Brazil and Myanmar elections where the former was a "defeat for big media" and the latter saw a media clampdown in the run-up to the election. ==References==