Brazil’s presidential election highlighted the political influence of older voters, with videos of seniors heading to the polls circulating widely on social media. In his victory speech, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva acknowledged their role in his shift from the first to the second round. Yet social entrepreneur Sérgio Serapião says more must be done to make this attention last and to confront ageism.
Voters aged 60 and over account for nearly 25% of Brazil’s electorate, according to figures from the Superior Electoral Court cited in the interview. Their number rose from 32.9 million in 2022 to 37.4 million in the latest election. The number of voters aged 70 and over, who are not required to vote, increased 15% from 2022 to almost 17 million.
Serapião, who has worked on longevity issues for more than two decades, described the election as the beginning of a shift in public attention. Older people, he said, are often treated as if they belong to the past rather than having plans and ambitions for the future. “The vote is an affirmation of the future,” he argued.
He said the election had exposed the need to engage older voters, but cautioned that one political moment would not be enough to bring lasting change. Brazil remains a “youth-centered” society, he said, where people often try to appear younger and older people are overlooked in public debate. A proposed Ministry of the Elderly could signal greater attention, though Serapião said a Ministry of Longevity would reflect a wider approach.
In his view, longevity is broader than the process of aging and the care and health needs associated with it. Longer lives and changing technology and family structures require a rethink of education, housing, cities and work. People may start a new relationship at 60 or a new career at 70, he said, and public systems should account for life paths that no longer follow a simple progression from study to work to retirement.
Serapião also cautioned against language and images that diminish older people. Lula used the term “the old folks” in his victory speech, and Serapião said that even affectionate diminutives can belittle people. He also argued that describing the 81-year-old president as youthful because he runs reinforces the idea that being young is better. Lula’s age and physical ability, he said, should not be framed as opposites.
The interview also addressed work and retirement. Serapião said discussions about social security should be linked to changes in employment, including the growth of app-based work. Older workers are often excluded from traditional jobs and may turn to delivery or driving platforms, he said, adding that these forms of work should provide protections that allow people to age with security.
He called for more flexible opportunities for older people who want to keep working, including part-time roles, and suggested tax incentives for employers. He also said policy should account for unequal life expectancy and health, rather than treating older people as a uniform group. Extending healthy years of life, he argued, can help people remain connected to work and society.
Sources: Folha Poder.