Most Brazilians Say Less Dependence on Government Improves Life, Datafolha Finds

Overview

• Datafolha’s poll, conducted June 17–18 and published July 3–4, 2026, found 65% of respondents agree that the less they depend on government the better their life will be.
• On the tradeoff between taxes and services, 50% prefer paying lower taxes and using private health and education while 44% favor higher taxes to finance free public services.
• The survey interviewed 2,004 voters in 139 municipalities, carries a ±2 percentage-point margin of error at 95% confidence, and is registered at the TSE under BR-09956/2026.
• Views vary sharply by politics and demographics: Flávio Bolsonaro supporters and men skew strongly toward less dependence and lower taxes while Lula supporters, women, and residents of the Northeast are more likely to favor public benefits and higher taxes.
• The results complete a long-running Datafolha series that shows a steady rise in anti-dependence attitudes since 2013 and signal potential pressure on candidates and policymakers to address taxes, private provision of services, and the role of the state.