There is a good chance that Thursday’s debate, held by TV Bandeirantes, between João Doria and Márcio França, the two candidates for the governor’s seat of the state of São Paulo, passed by unnoticed for the majority of people. The political atmosphere, contaminated by the polarization between anti-Workers’ Party and anti-Bolsonaro sentiments on a national level, sucks in all the attention and turns state elections into mere accessories.
This lack of importance is not by chance. In part because, for one of the candidates, there is an attempt to transform the state race into a pastiche of the presidential election. It is a shame, as, given the importance of São Paulo, it is crucial that the state maintain a focus on clarity and moderation, a window for the future. It should be important, but it isn’t.
The battle for São Paulo has done nothing to mitigate the mood of no-holds-barred political quarrel, with blows below the belt being traded between opponents. Analysts tread carefully, trying to find positive aspects from the chaos, but there comes a moment in which it is impossible not to swing to one side, whether it be in praise or criticism.
Undoubtedly, João Doria is not here to reconcile, encourage dialogue, build consensus and promote the welfare of all, a fundamental role of politics and politicians. His personality and hubris give him an air of someone who is not looking to bring people together. A 24-hour-a-day candidate since 2016, Mr. Doria does not avoid provocation and has no hesitation in embracing irrationalism, even if...
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