Overview

• Lula led narrative prevalence across Sept. 17–24 and on speech day, according to a new Instituto Democracia em Xeque report released Thursday.
• During the addresses, Lula reached 52,000 mentions per hour at 11:00 versus 34,000 for Trump, peaking at noon with 78,000 posts against 70,000 for the U.S. president, with a sustained lead afterward.
• Google data show searches for Lula in Brazil rose 140% from the previous day, marking his 2025 peak and ranking the date among his top global search days of the past year.
• Researchers found a left-leaning advantage in both volume and diversity of messages portraying Lula as a statesman, while conservative attacks and conspiratorial themes remained largely confined to their own networks.
• Across the week’s discourse, the study measured 44% progressive, 47% neutral, and 8.9% conservative participation, with interest further lifted by a brief Lula–Trump interaction that prompted queries such as whether Trump liked Lula.