Brazil’s ruling Workers’ Party is celebrating what it says is its best local election performance in years.

President Lula’s party won six out of 27 state capitals, and now governs in eight major cities. However, it did worse than expected in Brazil’s biggest conurbation, Sao Paolo. The results suggest that Lula’s party will hold its own in the next general election in 2010, when the President must stand down after two terms.

Security was tight for the vote, after drug gangs had threatened some candidates in the poor favelas on the outskirts of major cities. President Lula has not supported a successor, and no one has yet emerged with similar charisma and appeal.

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