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Articles by the PÚBLICO Brasil team are written in the variant of Portuguese spoken in Brazil.
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Brazilians living in Lisbon who came out to vote in the 2022 elections were in great confusion. In the first round of voting, people stood in line for three hours to exercise their right to elect Brazil’s president. Due to this situation, voting, which was scheduled to end at 5 PM, was not completed until 8 PM with approval from the High Electoral Court of Brasilia (TSE).
The difficulty is that the increase in the number of voters has turned Lisbon into the largest electoral college outside Brazil. From 2018 to 2022, the number of Brazilians eligible to vote increased by more than 15%, from 39,112 to 45,213. The Law Faculty of the University of Lisbon lined up despite very high abstentions. Two years ago, 56% of voters did not go to the polls.
Brazil’s Consul General in Brazil, Alessandro Candeas, wants to change that. “Our idea is to provide a fast, uninterrupted and comfortable flow. Above all, it is an easily accessible place with a structure that can accommodate more than 50,000 voters. Therefore, we are starting preparations now, two years ago,” he said in an interview with PÚBLICO Brasil.
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As Brazilian immigration increases in Portugal, the number of voters is increasing. As of 2022, it will exceed 20%. “According to the current TSE numbers, we have 55,937 people,” the new consul said. Voters abroad can only vote for the President of the Republic.
The number of Brazilians attending the 2022 presidential elections of the Republic was large, and crowds gathered in front of the Faculty of Law in Lisbon.
Vicente Nunes
There are more than 300,000 Brazilians legally residing in the area governed by the Brazilian Consulate in Lisbon, and the total number of voters is expected to increase further. Because of this, the consulate has already started re-registering voters for the 2026 elections, and voters will be provided with all the information they need. Do WhatsApp.
This tool offers other features as well. Community interest data In Portugal as a whole, there are more than 500,000 Brazilians with documents, 200,000 awaiting regularization by the Integrated Agency for Migration and Asylum (AIMA) and about 200,000 Brazilians of Portuguese descent.
The consul acknowledged that voting locations are likely to change in 2026 due to a significant increase in the number of voters. “We are starting to look at the possibility of alternative locations, if applicable, two years ago,” he said. situation.
The Lisbon elections have been held at the Faculty of Law for 10 years, starting in 2014. Previously, it was held at the embassy headquarters in the Laranjeiras area, in a building near the Lisbon Zoo. In the 2022 vote, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the Portuguese capital with more than 60% of the vote. Significant victories were also achieved in the areas of Porto and Faro.
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How is the Brazilian Consulate adapting its services to manage the growing voter population in Lisbon effectively?
1. As the number of Brazilians living in Lisbon continues to grow, how is the Brazilian Consulate ensuring that voting processes remain efficient and accessible for the diaspora community?
2. What measures are being taken to address the long waiting times and potential for voter disenfranchisement during the first round of the 2022 elections?
3. What role do you see technology playing in improving the voting experience for Brazilians abroad, particularly with the launch of the PÚBLICO Brasil app?
4. Can you discuss the significance of the large turnout of voters in Lisbon and its implications for Brazil’s political landscape?
5. As more Brazilians become naturalized citizens in Portugal, what challenges does the Brazilian Consulate face in keeping them engaged with their home country’s elections?
6. Given the increasing number of Brazilians who are able to vote abroad, do you foresee changes to the voting process or locations for future elections? Could alternate locations like local community centers or embassies be used to alleviate congestion?
7. How do you think the results of the 2022 election will impact the Brazilian diaspora community in Portugal, and what role do you see them playing in shaping Brazil’s political future?
