MPs Marcel van Hattem and Nikolas Ferreira, among others, are inspiring a new wave of young people in politics, such as Emília Soares, who will be PL candidate in 2024 | Photo: Chamber of Representatives/Personal Archives
The meteoric rise of Javier Milei, 52yearold lawmaker, rocker and libertarian economist who was recently elected president of Argentina with the highest number of votes in its history, is due in large part to the passionate support of the young electorate. His millions of followers on social media, his affinity for pop culture, and his courageous stance in defending his ideas connected him to a crowd dissatisfied with old political practices and increasingly associated with the left. By supporting hopeless youth amid widespread poverty and economic crisis, Milei managed to break old patterns and stimulate crossborder movements.
In Brazil, the renewal of the right anchored in digital media has evolved since the great popular demonstrations of 2013 and has gained even more momentum in recent years following the election of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and young conservative parliamentarians such as Marcel van Hattem ( NovoRS) and recently Nikolas Ferreira (PLMG). These leaders inspire new generations to actively participate in public debate and raise flags such as economic freedom and family institutions without any embarrassment, without losing the enthusiasm and irreverence that characterize the youth.
Milei’s impetuous figure with disheveled hair and a leather jacket, who sings rock to her fans and calls rivals “thieves”, inspires the rightwing Brazilian youth. “Argentina is showing the world that liberalism can be pop. Milei not only turned against the establishment and much of the media, but also overcame the stereotypes created by the left against those who defend individual freedom and the limitation of the state to basic functions,” said 38yearold Marcel van Hattem. He is in his second term as deputy, having started his political career at 18 as a councilor in Dois Irmãos (RS), then moving to the state legislature (2015) and Congress (2018).
Nikolas Ferreira, 27 years old, the most elected MP in 2022 with almost 1.5 million votes, also stands out as one of the most influential politicians on social networks, easily using the tools and languages typical of younger users. He is consistently celebrated in the halls of Congress and in the cities where he travels, especially by young adults and teenagers, and is seen by analysts as the most prominent face of this rise of the young right.
In Brasília’s first year, its initiatives and speeches sparked controversy by pointing out mistakes and contradictions of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and without inhibitions raised issues such as the liberalization of abortion and drugs, the introduction of unisex toilets and political ones Topics addressed prisons.
Nikolas Ferreira calls Lula a thief in a speech at the UN
On the 17th, Ferreira, who has a law degree and was born in a favela in Belo Horizonte, attended the Transatlantic Summit as a young leader in New York at the United Nations (UN) headquarters. At the event marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the MP spoke in English against abortion laws and in favor of moral principles threatened by public policies. This speech was another of his many that went viral on the networks.
“The left uses the distortion of reality, the relativization and destruction of identity to capture and manipulate young people in particular. I have defended life from the beginning at the United Nations, I have addressed ideological indoctrination and the culture war, and I have also exposed the hypocrisy of environmental activists who have been so active over the last four years and have now disappeared as the fire rages through the Amazon and the Pantanal burns. I also did not fail to emphasize that Lula is a thief and that his place is in prison,” commented the deputy.
“As a Christian, conservative and defender of the family, Nikolas is a reference for the Brazilian right, especially for young people. As a federal deputy, he worked to defend democracy, youth and rightwing principles,” commented 27yearold state deputy Lucas Polese (PLES), the youngest member of the Legislative Assembly of Espírito Santo. He is president of the Liberal Institute of Espírito Santo (Iles) and one of the politicians who see the Minas Gerais MP as a model to follow.
On January 8, the new generation of MPs at the CPMI made noise
This irreverent and committed face of the young Brazilian right was expressed during the meetings of the Joint Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI) on January 8th, which ended in October with the government majority in control of their outcome. The minority MPs’ wide and sustained presence on social media, their performance as a team and their boldness in exposing the federal government’s failures in the acts of vandalism at Praça dos Três Poderes emboldened the opposition and angered the government.
Disparagingly referred to as “fifth class” by parliamentarians from the government rank and file, the young rightwing members of the CPMI attracted the attention of the vicepresident of the college, the veteran Senator Magno Malta (PLES). He sees the group as a successor to other conservative activists and a harbinger of a new era for the republic.
The vivacious André Fernandes (PLCE), 25 years old and author of the CPMI query; Nikolas Ferreira, 27; Filipe Barros (PLPR), 32; Maurício Marcon (PodemosRS), 36; and Abílio Brunini (PLMT), 39, were christened “The Gideão Generation” by Malta. The reference comes from the biblical figure who, despite his young age, led a victorious army of only 300 soldiers. “You come with all your strength and are an example of learning to trust in God even when everything seems impossible,” he said.
Although he is 27 years old like Nikolas Ferreira and also a passionate advocate of liberalism and the fight against leftwing agendas, the activist, YouTuber and federal deputy Kim Kataguiri (União BrasilSP) follows a parallel path in relation to the youth of the right, due to the Clashes between the Movimento Brasil Livre (MBL), of which he is the founder, and allies of former President Bolsonaro.
Kataguiri is a preliminary candidate for mayor of São Paulo. His group includes São Paulo city councilor Fernando Holiday (União Brasil), who is against racial quotas and has distinguished himself by confronting leftwing politicians.
The left loses its touch of novelty and becomes sullen and moralistic
Even leftleaning intellectuals have observed a peculiar dynamic characterized by an apparent reversal of the historical roles traditionally assigned to the left and the right. The contemporary right, previously associated with a serious and dour attitude, has become the greatest defender of freedom of expression, presenting proposals that challenge the status quo in a “transgressive” way.
On the other hand, the left is now taking on the role of censor with identity agendas that in many cases elude the understanding of the majority of the population. This scenario offers scope for lively criticism from the right. By adopting a politically correct stance, the left has lost its aura of innovation and sees itself being questioned by its adherence to failed economic models.
According to Juan Carlos, general director of the Ranking of Politicians, the national scenario clearly shows a rejuvenation of the right, although this is still difficult to prove empirically. “Social networks have been a key factor in this cultural process in which the right shows more humor and contestation, while the left, with its politically correct attitude, appears more dour and moralistic,” he said.
The young politician is guided by conservative and Christian values
The precandidate for PL, Cabo de Santo Agostinho (PE) councilor Emília Soares, said she entered politics out of a desire to do good for the people and defend principles that she considers fundamental. She finds inspiration “in the courage and determination” of personalities such as former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro (PL), influencer Bárbara Destefani, creator of the channel Te Atualizei and Nikolas Ferreira. “The deputy is a young man who fights every day for what we defend. “He inspires me every day and gives me a lot of strength to keep going,” said the young woman People’s Gazette.
The teenager identifies herself as a rightwing leader and claims to be the youngest representative on her city’s city council. It promotes an agenda focused on valuing individual freedom, personal responsibility for Christian values, and free market politics. For them, a society based on conservative and ethical principles is “the way to build a solid future.”
In contrast to quota politics, the defense of abortion and the socalled gender ideology, Emília believes in a political renewal on the right, as the left “had enough time to show its approaches”. She recognizes that young people are no longer predominantly shaped by student organizations linked to leftwing parties, such as the Brazilian Union of Secondary Students (Ubes) and the National Union of Students (Une), and are increasingly taking a conservative path. , based on the motto “God, Country and Family”.
Emília runs social projects and is passionate about the positive impact that politics can have on the lives of people, families and communities. She was recently selected from 20,000 applicants for admission to the leadership class of the Renova BR political training school.
“We must join those who want to put the country back on the path of peace, development and justice with a capital J,” he concluded.
Infographics Gazeta do Povo[Clique para ampliar]