Negative ratings for Rousseff administration decline

The negative ratings of President Dilma Rousseff's administration have had a slight decrease of one percentage point in March. The percentage of respondents who rate the federal government as “poor” or “terrible” dropped from 70% in December to 69% now, according to an IBOPE poll released today (Mar. 30) commissioned by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI).

The percentage of Brazilians who gave “average” ratings dropped from 20% to 19%, whereas those who approve the government as “excellent” or “good” rose one percentage point, going from 9% to 10%.

About Rousseff's ruling style, the approval ratings remained stable with a rejection rate of 82% and approvals at 14%.

Conversely, the number of people who said they distrust Rousseff was up two percentage points, going from 78% to 80%. The trust ratings remained stable at 18%.

Skepticism about the remainder of Rousseff's administration has also risen with 68% of respondents anticipating a “poor” or “terrible” government, compared to a previous 65%. The number of people who expect it to be “average” dropped from 20% to 18%, and expectations for an “excellent” or “good”  administration went from 9% to 10%.

In the past four quarters, the government's approval ratings have been at their lowest level ever recorded for the central government since November 1989, when an IBOPE poll found then-president José Sarney's administration was approved of by only 9%. Back then, hyperinflation was among Brazilians' top grievances.

The IBOPE/CNI heard 2,002 people in the period March 17–20  in 142 municipalities. The margin of sampling error was minus or plus two percentage points.

Translated by Mayra Borges