Confia Project

The Confia Project is an initiative by Pacto pela Democracia aimed at restoring public trust in Brazil’s voting system and electoral process through the coordinated dissemination of evidence-based narratives, strategic communications, and public campaigns during the 2026 election cycle.

Drawing on an analysis of election-related disinformation disseminated during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles—conducted in partnership with Aláfia Lab and Instituto Democracia em Xeque—the Confia Project seeks to develop and disseminate narrative guidelines based on recurring discursive patterns used to attack Brazil’s voting system and electoral process.

Content Mapping and Analysis

In its first phase, launched in 2024, the project used the election period to map narratives aimed at attacking and discrediting the electoral process, particularly the voting system and electoral institutions. During this stage, the project received technological support from Meedan and was guided by a committee composed of organizations from Pacto’s Network.

In 2025, the project moved forward with the analysis of the mapped data. In partnership with Aláfia Lab and Instituto Democracia em Xeque, it applied an analytical methodology that also incorporated content disseminated during the 2022 elections. This process resulted in a report that deepens the understanding of the main targets of distrust and attacks against the electoral process.

The Confia Project was designed to ensure that Pacto and its Network organizations enter the 2026 election cycle with a deeper understanding of public debate and the narratives in circulation, strengthening their capacity to build counter-narratives and anticipate attacks.

Restoring Trust in the 2026 Elections

Distrust in the electoral process is a serious problem that compounds the broader crisis of confidence in institutions and democracy itself. In this context, civil society has an important role to play in rebuilding a democratic environment grounded in trust among people. The Confia Project was created to address this challenge directly and mobilize organizations around restoring public trust in the electoral process.

Impact

  • 1 Strengthening public trust in Brazil’s voting system and electoral institutions.
  • 2 Expanding civil society’s capacity to identify, understand, and respond to election-related disinformation narratives.
  • 3 Developing evidence-based communication strategies to counter attacks on the electoral process and democracy.
  • 4 Contributing to a safer, more transparent, and better-informed electoral environment during the 2026 elections.
  • 5 Encouraging the circulation of reliable information and strengthening democratic culture among different audiences.
  • 6 Anticipating risks and attacks against the electoral process, enabling more coordinated and effective civil society responses.
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