FILE PHOTO: Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva waves as he attends the Independence Day parade in Brasilia, Brazil September 7, 2025. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File Photo

BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's government approval rating rose to 33%, its highest this year, while disapproval fell to 38%, according to a new Datafolha poll released on Thursday.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The improvement coincides with two key factors: Lula's high-profile sovereignty campaign against U.S. tariffs, and the legal challenges facing his main rival, former President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro was convicted on Thursday for coup plotting and remains ineligible to run for office.

BY THE NUMBERS

Government approval climbed to 33% this month, a four-point increase from July. Disapproval fell to 38% from 40% over the same period.

The share of respondents with a neutral view was 28%.

The Datafolha survey interviewed 2,005 people across 113 municipalities between September 8-9, with a margin of error of two percentage points.

CONTEXT

The uptick in approval suggests a rising trend for Lula's administration, which is rebounding after hitting a low point earlier in the year. Last month, a survey by Genial/Quaest also showed the government's approval growing after a difficult start for 2025.

(Reporting by Maria Carolina Marcello; Writing by Fernando CardosoEditing by Rod Nickel)