François Picard is pleased to welcome Andreza Aruska de Souza Santos, Director of King’s Brazil Institute at the School of Global Affairs, King’s College London and Associate Professor in Brazil and Latin American Studies. According to Aruska, Brazil’s approaching elections can be viewed through the following prism: macroeconomic performance and political confidence are moving on different tracks. While headline indicators may suggest an economy performing relatively well, she argues that many Brazilians experience a much harsher reality shaped by the cost of living and a volatile job market.