Bewildered Brussels / Lula's Brazil

Former Brazilian president Lula da Silva, the charismatic man of the people once dubbed 'the most popular politician on Earth' by Barack Obama, is barred from contesting the country’s presidential elections in October, after his conviction for corruption was upheld on appeal last week. Lula, who has two appeals left, has the support of 33 per cent of the electorate and his followers say that is reason enough not to convict him, so that he may run in the election. Tom Hennigan reports from Brazil where he says there is suspicion in some quarters that Lula’s pledge to fight for the right to contest the presidency is a ploy to avoid jail. If Lula does win the right to stand for election, he will have to face down Brazil’s extreme right-wing candidate Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump fan whose racist and misogynistic statements have angered some and won support from others. Also on the podcast, European Affairs Editor Patrick Smyth reports back from Brussels where the mood is one of weary resignation, as the EU waits for Theresa May to make Britain’s position clear heading into the next stage of Brexit talks.