India, Nov. 4 -- On October 25, 2026, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made history - since the Redemocratization of Brazil, never has a presidential candidate in the country turned a first-round defeat into a win in the second. And rarely has voting in the country felt so consequential.

In a polarised society, people vote not only for candidates but also to protect their values and ways of life. Political disagreement in Brazil is no longer "I like tea, and you like coffee." It is now "I like tea; so, you should no longer be allowed to drink coffee." Compare this with the US, going for the midterm polls today, where everyday issues such as cost-of-living matter for the electorate, but so do ideological hardlines.

When politics becomes like th...