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Temer´s major setback: 68% don't trust him and 39% rate his government “bad” or “terrible”

Wednesday, October 5th 2016 - 19:02 UTC
Full article 19 comments
In a personal setback to Temer, approval of the way he is governing has dropped to 28% from 31%. Disapproval has risen to 55% from 53%. In a personal setback to Temer, approval of the way he is governing has dropped to 28% from 31%. Disapproval has risen to 55% from 53%.

President Michel Temer has not managed to convince Brazilians his government is better than that of his ousted predecessor Dilma Rousseff, and his popularity remains low, according to a poll on Tuesday. Pollster Ibope said the number of people who consider Temer's government “great” or “good” edged up to 14% from 13% in the previous survey in late June, which was conducted six weeks after he replaced Rousseff when her impeachment trial began.

But the number who rate it as “bad” or “terrible” was unchanged at 39%, according to the poll commissioned by the National Industry Confederation (CNI).

In a personal setback to Temer, who is pressing ahead with reforms to curb an onerous budget deficit, approval of the way he is governing has dropped to 28% from 31%. Disapproval has risen to 55% from 53%.

Sixty-eight percent of the people surveyed say they do not trust Temer, 2 percentage points higher than three months ago. Ibope surveyed 2,002 people between September 20-25 and its poll has a margin of error of 2 points either way.

Temer took office in the midst of the country's worst recession since the 1930s and a massive corruption scandal, which contributed to Rousseff's definitive removal by Congress in late August on charges of breaking budget rules.

Leading members of Temer's party are under investigation for receiving kickbacks in the graft scandal centered on Petrobras. Three of his cabinet ministers quit due to allegations of misconduct. Unemployment has continued to rise and inflation remains high as Temer tries to push through unpopular cuts in public spending to plug a gaping deficit inherited from Rousseff.

He also has been dogged by lingering questions about the legitimacy of Rousseff's impeachment, and his public appearances are often marred by protest shouts of “Out with Temer.”

Temer, who was Rousseff's vice president and will serve out the remainder of her term through 2018, has said he does not care about his dire approval ratings because his mission is to restore confidence and pull Latin America's largest economy out of the two-year recession. He says he will not run in 2018.

“My only concern it to try to put Brazil back on the rails, just that, and that my successor will have the authority to lead the nation,” Temer said on Monday during a visit to Paraguay.

Categories: Politics, Brazil.

Top Comments

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  • DemonTree

    @14 Jack Bauer
    27.5% is the higher rate? That's really low.

    But why do you think it makes sense to tax income from investments at a much lower rate? It's disingenuous to say investments are available to both high and low income people alike, since to invest you need to have money left over after paying your expenses, and enough that you don't need to keep it readily available for emergencies too.

    Given this, it's obvious that the ultimate effect will be that the wealthy pay a lower rate of tax overall, as the article says. And this is considered undesirable by almost everyone.

    In any case, whatever you do with your salary after it has already been taxed, whether it's spending, saving, or investing it, you'll always have to pay more tax. So there's really no reason income from investments should be treated differently to income from a salary.

    The super rich are really a different problem, as they tend to have an undue influence on the government that lets them keep loopholes in the tax laws to benefit themselves, as well as being able to take advantage of tax havens etc.

    Oct 09th, 2016 - 12:58 pm +1
  • Hepatia

    Temer has no legitimacy. I doubt that his administration will survice to the next election.

    Oct 06th, 2016 - 03:03 am 0
  • ChrisR

    So 61% think his government is 'good'.

    Vasquez would love that sort of support as would Macri, so ignore the likes of 'Hepatitis' et al.

    Perhaps the party of Lula thinks they can run him out of office?

    With Lula at TENTH place in the poles it looks like they are pissing into the wind: that will get their 'own back' (for those who don't know the phrase).

    Oct 06th, 2016 - 10:52 am 0
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