Brazil Supreme Federal Court faces declining public approval

Recent Datafolha polling indicates a decline in public perception of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF). Negative evaluations of the Court have reached 47%, the highest level since the series began in 2019, while only 18% of respondents view the institution positively.

Political scientist Carlos Pereira notes that perceptions of judicial politicization often follow partisan lines. For instance, 69% of voters aligned with Flávio Bolsonaro rate the STF’s work as bad or terrible, compared to 24% of voters aligned with Lula.

The data raises concerns regarding the distinction between “specific support”—satisfaction with current decisions—and “diffuse support,” which is the deep-seated institutional legitimacy that allows a court to rule against majorities without losing authority. There is ongoing debate as to whether persistent dissatisfaction with specific rulings is beginning to erode the fundamental legitimacy of the institution itself.