Presidential election: too many options and not enough passion

An initial glance at the Brazilian presidential election gives a false impression that voters have many options to choose from. Even so, there is no shortage of candidates, led by former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. But a mixture of widespread rejection, disenchantment with the current government, corruption concerns, and a sense of urgency in the face of economic problems make this race unprecedented. 

In this context, it is worth reflecting on the questions and options facing the Brazilian electorate in 2022.

For example: does President Bolsonaro deserve a second term? Not in principle. According to the latest polls, the current head of state has the worst approval rating of a president seeking re-election since Brazil’s return to democracy in 1984. 

At the same time, Mr. Bolsonaro has a rejection rate of above 50 percent. No president has managed to win re-election with such low popularity numbers at this stage in the race — but, by the same token, every...