Leaders of the developed world, suffering the disdain and derision of voters as their economies stutter may be casting an envious eye this week at their colleague Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil.

In spite of the threat of global recession and the dent it might make in Brazil’s recent prosperity, Mr Lula da Silva is riding a wave of acclaim. An opinion poll this week put his personal popularity rating at 78 per cent.