“School teacher: I wish you the wage of a Congressman and the social prestige of a football player” (Street demonstration, 2013)
Due to important socioeconomic changes occurred in the last two decades, the number of mid-income Brazilians has increased significantly, and so has their presence in social life and the political process. The rise of the so-called “new middle classes” has been praised as good indicator of the country´s efforts to reduce poverty and inequalities of different sorts. In fact, at first as consumers and then as protesters and voters, these emerging groups seem to be acquiring a prominent role in Brazilian social and political life, either by adding new issues to the political agenda or redefining the terms under which old issues have been perceived.
These emerging groups are, nevertheless, multifarious in their political leanings, demands and party preferences, as shown in public demonstrations and electoral choices.
