On August 30, Cedenir Simon looked surprised, almost disappointed. "We're not getting any egg, insults or threats thrown at us," said the Workers' Party (PT) candidate for mayor of Brusque, in southern Brazil. "Cedê" (his nickname) was distributing leaflets with a few supporters at the town's bus terminal. While most onlookers ignored him politely, some were willing to talk. "People are listening again. Things are changing!" said a delighted Cedê.

In the city of Brusque, with a population of 150,000 in the state of Santa Catarina, it's safe to say the left is not favored in the upcoming October 6 election, when Brazil elects its more than 5,500 municipal councils. In the 2022 presidential election, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won just 21.4% of the vote in Brusque, against 78.6% for Jair Bolsonaro's far right (compared to their nearly even split of 50.9% to 49.1% nationwide).

In two years, however, the mood seems to have shifted. PT supporters are now unafraid to publicly display a red star, the party's emblem. "We're from the left and we don't hide it!" said Cedê, who has made his closeness to Lula one of his campaign arguments. "Several of his ministers are my friends. I can get into their offices without an appointment!" he said with a smile.

Located 30 kilometers from the ocean, Brusque isn't a particularly colorful city. In this textile powerhouse, known as the prosperous capital of Brazilian knitwear, dull factories and leaden-gray buildings line the Rio Itajai-Mirimenew. The town's only quirky feature is the large buildings adorned with small towers, vaguely reminiscent of the half-timbered architecture of the Elbe or Lake Constance. One of them houses the town hall. Founded by German and later Italian and Polish migrants, Brusque is a town of Germanic culture. "Here, work is the key value and implies integrity, punctuality and dedication," said Leandro Hyarup, 43, a spinning mill entrepreneur.

The PT sporadically governed Brusque with Paulo Eccel (2009-2013), but Hyarup considered it a mere accident. "There is a very strong rejection of the PT," he said. "Brusque's inhabitants never forgave Lula for his corruption. They are opposed to handouts and feel they get too little money compared to the amount of taxes they pay to the Federation."

Three candidates

In this rather uptight city, civic-military public schools are booming. Brusque is home to four such establishments, where former officers are in charge of discipline and pupils sing the national anthem every day with their hands on their hearts. "The goal is to restore a sense of patriotism and respect: Two values that have been forgotten in recent years," explained Ana Vani Giraldi, 58, director of the Isaura Gouvêa Gevaerd civic-military school in the city's south.

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