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Continuing a series on world leaders, Miles Deverson takes a look at Angela Merkel
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The second round of the Brazilian elections of October 31st appointed Lula's designated successor in the Workers' Party, Dilma Roussef as first female president. With a close majority of 55% to 46%, she defeated the candidate of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party, José Serra.
Constitutionally unable to run for a third four-year term in office, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva steps down only to give way to the candidate he himself endorsed as his successor from the start. The outgoing president says he will not interfere in her government, and that Ms Roussef “will have to form a government in her own image”. Lula's extraordinary popularity will make succeeding him “difficult and challenging” says Dilma Roussef, she continued - “I will be knocking on his door often”.
Ms Roussef, 62, has never held office before in her life. A former Marxist rebel, she was imprisoned and tortured in 1970 for taking part in left-wing resistance against military rule. An economist of formation, she worked in local then state governments and entered President Lula's cabinet as energy minister in 2003 and chief of staff in 2005. Needless to say her connection with the President is solid.
“Yes a woman can!” - that is what Dilma Roussef wants parents to tell their daughters now that electors have proven that Brazil had made a huge democratic leap forward by choosing a woman. She is the latest addition to South America's quite impressive collection of female presidents. Following the steps of Isabel Peron in Argentina, she is the eighth woman to access the top job in South America. Presently 2 other women detain presidency in Latin America, Laura Chinchilla in Costa Rica and Cristina Fernandez in Argentina not to forget Michelle Bachelet who just stepped down in Chile. Elena Highton, Argentina's first lady of the Supreme Court says “the victory of females indicates changing public views and attitudes on the role of women. Women are seen as more believable, more honest, more direct and as a necessary alternative to the numerous failures inflicted on the world once predominantly ruled by men”. Brazil's future president hopes that her election will inspire equality between men and women at every level of society.
Dilma Roussef's priority in taking over the rising global power on January 1st 2011 will be “the eradication of poverty”. Despite Lula's efficient and popular campaign against hunger, 20 million Brazilians, which is to say 10% of the nation, still live in extremely poor conditions. She is expected to continue her mentor's left-wing policies of high government involvement particularly in sectors such as mining and public infrastructure. Immediate legislative reforms are perceived as unnecessary because of Brazil's booming economy - the only one already planned is the reorganization of the complicated tax system.
This is the second time José Serra has been defeated in the presidential run-off though he has expressed his good wishes to the winner and hopes that “she will work for the good of the country”. Regardless, there remains no doubt that Brazil's power will continue to increase as it is expected to become one of the next Global World powers before it hosts the 2016 Olympic Games.
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