Lula's Government Sees Slight Approval Rating Boost Amid Economic Challenges

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's government saw a slight increase in approval ratings to 36% in June, up from 35% in March, according to Datafolha. The poll, which interviewed over 2,000 people, also indicated a slight rise in positive economic expectations despite challenges such as a weakened Brazilian real.

(Adds details, context in paragraphs 3-5) SAO PAULO, June 18 (Reuters) -

The approval rating of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's government was at 36% in June, slightly up from 35% in March, according to a poll released on Tuesday. The disapproval rate of the leftist president, who is in the second year of his third non-consecutive term, was at 31%, according to the survey by pollster Datafolha, down from 33% in March.

People who viewed his government as regular reached 31%, from 30%, Datafolha poll showed. The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 2 percentage points. It interviewed more than 2,000 people able to vote in 113 Brazilian cities from June 4-13.

According to Datafolha, 40% of the people polled had positive expectations on Brazil's economy in June, up from 39% three months ago, while pessimistic views were at 28%, from 27%. The slight improvements come even as the Brazilian real shows a more than 8% slump since the end of March, pressured by local fiscal uncertainties and a strong U.S. dollar.