Women, WhatsApp, a shorter work week. How the right was defeated in Brazil

Flávio Bolsonaro was ordered to hand over his passports on Monday. By Wednesday, he had landed in Miami and announced he would lead Brazil’s opposition from Trump’s America. It was quite the exit for a man who, just three weeks ago, had beaten his opponent Lula da Silva in the first round of Brazil’s presidential election and was expected to return the right-wing Bolsonaro name to the presidency while his father, Jair, serves 27 years in prison for plotting a coup after his own election defeat in 2022. Instead, Lula da Silva won Sunday’s runoff by 4.4 million votes, becoming the first candidate since Brazil’s return to democracy to overturn a first-round defeat.   This result is good news for the Amazon, climate action, and anyone watching the march of the far right. But a gender story is emerging too, and progressive parties everywhere would be wise to consider it. Women account for 53 per cent of registered voters and have been more resistant to Bolsonaro-aligned candidates than men.  Earlier this month, a survey put Lula ahead among women by 49 to 40 per cent, with Flavio leading among men by 52 to 40 per cent.  It’s a gap that’s
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