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Antithesis: Supporters greet Brazil’s Lula da Silva ahead of the 1994 elections. (Collart Hervé/Sygma/Getty Images)

From Brazil to South Africa: The power and perils of political charisma

A compelling new biography of Brazil’s Lula da Silva offers a sharp contrast to the dispiriting state of South Africa’s politics

Luis Arce, Bolivia’s president, speaks during a press conference at La Casa del Pueblo in La Paz, Bolivia, on Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Marcelo Perez del Carpio/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Divisions threaten Bolivia’s MAS and its legacy of left-wing transformation

This is the first instalment in a series of articles on lessons for the left, and focuses on the case of Bolivia

Jacob Zuma, former South African president and leader of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK Party), during a news conference at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) national results operation centre in Midrand, South Africa, on Saturday, June 1, 2024. (Leon Sadiki/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Political landscapes are shifting, but beware of anti-democratic forces

The European Union has shifted right and Latin America to the left, India’s supremacist was checked, and the ANC lost its majority but behaved with democratic maturity

From left: Spectrum Party leader Christopher Claassen, United Independent Movement’s Neil de Beer, IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa, DA leader John Steenhuisen, Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Groenewald, ActionSA president Herman Mashaba and the Independent SA National Civic Organisation’s Zukile Luyenge on the first day of the national convention on coalitions at Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, 17 August 2023. (Photo: Twitter / @Our_DA)

Déjà vu as Multi-Party Charter unveils economic plan

In trying to provide an alternative to the ANC, the new political grouping has fallen into old traps

Former Brazil president Dilma Rouseff turned to austerity, but it was too late. (Photo by Mario De Fina/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Corporate capture and austerity politics

The choice to adopt austerity is not about protecting the state against capture — nor is it about realising untapped growth

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with fellow BRICS leaders President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of China Xi Jinping pose for a family photo with delegates, including six nations invited to join the BRICS group, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.  (Photo by Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia still mulling Brics invite, says its ambassador to South Africa

Sultan Al Angari said Saudi Arabia would like to ensure that joining would not lead to alignment against other countries or groups, and did not affect the kingdom’s political…

The 15th Brics summit, which was hosted in South Africa, was met with a decreased market index, moving from 3,816.83 on the 21 August to 3,792.01 on 22 August, which also happened to be the actual starting day of the Brics summit. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Russia, China win as Brics grows

Iran polarised the five member states, with Russia fighting aggressively for its inclusion in the bloc, according to insiders

President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of China Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pose for a BRICS family photo during the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Brics+6: Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi and UAE added to bloc

Brics chair, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the bloc’s expansion, which includes two African country

Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva arrives in South Africa ahead of the Brics summit.

Brazil’s Lula calls for end to Ukraine war

President criticises UN Security Council over handling of other conflicts and says Brazil is ready to help secure an immediate ceasefire and long-term peace

The Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi attend the Brics Business Summit on August 22, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Brics summit is held in South Africa between (Photo by Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images)

Brics leaders talk expansion amid ‘Cold War’

China’s Xi Jinping, the leader of the biggest economy in the bloc, said the world is at a ‘critical juncture’ amid growing trade tensions

Jair Bolsonaro (Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino)

Bolsonaro ‘authorises’ transition without acknowledging defeat

In a speech that lasted just over two minutes, the far-right incumbent neither acknowledged defeat, nor congratulated Lula on his victory

Candidate Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva of Workers’ Party (PT) greets supporters as he leaves Escola Estadual Firmino Correia De Araújo after casting his vote and giving a press conference on October 30, 2022 in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil. Photo: Getty Images

Brazil’s Lula win over Bolsonaro celebrated by the left globally, but beware a right backlash

A country cannot survive in isolation, particularly given that leaders of rightwing parties have ascended in countries around the world

Supporters of former President of Brazil and Candidate for the Worker’s Party (PT) Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wait for results at the end of the general election day at Largo da Prainha on October 02, 2022 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Inconclusive vote: Brazil wakes up to four more weeks of uncertainty

Seeking to make a spectacular comeback, ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva failed to garner the votes needed to avoid a runoff

Developing countries say Doha talks make progress

Talks on a deal to free up world trade are making progress, developing country leaders said on Monday, but the chairperson of key industry negotiations said more needed to be…

Agreement on Doha ‘extremely close’

World trade talks appeared to be making progress on Wednesday as the leaders of Brazil, India and South Africa said they were committed to reaching a deal. The leaders said…