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Progressive bishops helped boost support for Brazil’s Workers’ Party

An illustrated split-screen image showing a hand inserting a ballot on the left side with a church and upward trending graph, and on the right side a silhouetted figure holding a flag with raised fists and a crowd against an industrial cityscape.
Research area:Social SciencesSociology and Political ScienceReligion and Society Interactions

What the study found

Bishops who supported state-led redistribution were important for the electoral success of Brazil’s left-wing Workers’ Party (PT). Voters in municipalities with longer exposure to these progressive Catholic bishops supported the PT at higher rates.

Why the authors say this matters

The authors argue that religion and electoral politics are shaped by the redistributive beliefs and preferences of religious leaders, who can become allies of left-wing parties. The study suggests that religious leaders may play an under-examined role in the electoral influence of religion and, the authors conclude, can be key to the development of left-wing parties, especially in the developing world.

What the researchers tested

The study examines Brazil after the appointment of Pope John Paul II, using as-if random variation in municipalities’ exposure to progressive Catholic bishops. The researchers compare municipalities with different lengths of exposure to these bishops.

What worked and what didn't

The findings indicate that longer exposure to bishops who actively supported state-led redistribution was associated with higher support for the PT. The abstract does not report any results that worked against this pattern.

What to keep in mind

The abstract describes one country and one party in a specific period in Brazil. It also does not provide further limitations beyond the study’s focus and design.

Key points

  • Progressive Catholic bishops who favored state-led redistribution were linked to stronger support for Brazil’s Workers’ Party.
  • Municipalities with longer exposure to these bishops showed higher voter support for the PT.
  • The study uses as-if random variation in exposure to bishops in Brazil after Pope John Paul II’s appointment.
  • The authors argue that religious leaders can be important allies for left-wing parties.
  • The abstract does not describe additional limitations beyond the study’s setting and design.

Disclosure

Research title:
Progressive bishops helped boost support for Brazil’s Workers’ Party
Authors:
Guadalupe Tuñón
Institutions:
Princeton University
Publication date:
2026-02-24
DOI:
10.1017/s0003055426101427
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: This post was generated by OpenAI. The original authors did not write or review this post.

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