The austerity policies of the European Union have kept all but a few European economies virtually dead in the water, and those that have shown some growth, like Spain, still post unacceptable unemployment rates. Spain currently has an overall national jobless rate of 21 percent, rising to almost 50 percent among youth. Brazil's jobless rate is 10.9 percent.
For now, the Workers Party is on the ropes but hardly down and out. It has 500,000 members, and the new government will find it is very difficult to take things away from people now that they have gotten used to having them. Some 35 million people are unlikely to return to their previous poverty without a fight.
One of Temer's first acts was putting up 100,000 billboards all over the country with the slogan: "Don't speak of crisis; work!" which sounds a lot like "shut up." Brazilians are not noted for being quiet, particularly if the government instituting painful cuts is unelected.
The pressure for new elections is sure to grow, although the current government will do anything it can to avoid them. Sooner or later there will be a reckoning.
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