Lula sets up task force to approach evangelicals – 07/20/2023 – Politics

The Lula government (PT) constituted a task force of ministers with the mission of designing and putting into practice a strategy to approach the evangelical public, still refractory to the president.

According to interlocutors, Lula was convinced of the need to define a specific tactic for the segment, whose agenda is associated with Bolsonarism.

Among the members of this team are ministers Alexandre Padilha (Institutional Relations); Paulo Pimenta (Secom); Márcio Macedo (General Secretary); Jorge Messias (Attorney General); Waldez Goés (Regional Development) and Wellington Dias (Social Development).

The group meets periodically to look into statistics in order to outline the profile of this electorate and define policies aimed at it. For this Thursday (20) a lunch is scheduled in which Pimenta will present data from a survey.

Faced with the diversity of leaders and religious associations, the idea of ​​choosing a single coordinator to open dialogue with evangelicals was discarded, opting for the assembly of a group.

The strategy includes mapping segment leaders, digital influencers, communicators and communication channels aimed at the sector.

Among the tasks is also the identification of evangelicals who hold government positions. The idea is that, for example, they will be scheduled for the presentation of programs for this religious segment.

One of the functions is to ensure faster dismantling of fake news disseminated on social networks in order to undermine the image of the president. The work also includes the selection of religious entities dedicated to social projects not yet served by government programs. The orientation is for women to be the focus of these actions.

According to Wellington Dias, the proposal for union and reconstruction, adopted by the government, “also applies to a good relationship and care, dialogue with leaders and, above all, service to the evangelical people with the various programs”.

Married to an evangelical leader, the minister cites as an example of actions the inclusion in the Cadastro Único and Bolsa Família of those who meet requirements, in addition to the Desenrola Brasil programs, and support for qualification and entrepreneurship.

The most recent Datafolha survey, in June, shows the PT’s difficulty in the segment. While his administration is evaluated as good or excellent by 37% of the population, this number drops to 20% among evangelicals. On the opposite line, disapproval is higher — 38% against 27% in the electorate as a whole.

For the elaboration of specific strategies, the associations were divided into four groups: traditional, Pentecostal; neopentecostal and periphery.

The formula starts from the fact that the range of associations requires different policies. For example, the immunity provided for in the tax reform would cover only one sector.

The adoption of a discourse aimed at the evangelical public was the source of a dilemma during the presidential campaign. Pressured by allies, Lula resisted the idea of ​​presenting a letter of commitment to evangelicals on the grounds that he does not like the idea of ​​mixing faith and politics.

Finally convinced, he launched the letter on October 19, just 11 days before the second round of elections. It said against abortion, while another passage stated “that the home and parental guidance are fundamental in the education of their children, and it is up to the school to support them by dialoguing and respecting family values, without interference from the State”.

Lula also had to deny that his government program provided for the installation of unisex bathrooms in schools.