http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/21/world/americas/michel-temer-brazil-unga-2016-united-nations.html 2016-09-20 10:15:34 Michel Temer: Striving for Legitimacy as Brazil’s New Leader The Brazilian president faces a balancing act after a divisive impeachment battle ousted a rival, Dilma Rousseff, allowing him to ascend. === Brazil That battle cast scrutiny on Mr. Temer’s challenges in strengthening a Mr. Temer, a former vice president who turned against Ms. Rousseff, is expected to reassure his nation that change is coming after 13 years of governance by the leftist Workers’ Party. But he may also foreshadow plans that will not be too disruptive, in an attempt to ease fears over austerity measures aimed at overhauling labor laws and pensions. “Temer’s message will be that Brazilian democratic institutions are resilient, that even as recession and corruption scandals smear the entire political class, the judiciary remains independent, there are no political prisoners and no journalists in jail,” said Matias Spektor, a professor of international relations at Fundação Getúlio Vargas, an elite Brazilian university. “This sets Brazil apart,” Professor Spektor said, “from countries like Turkey, China and Russia.” But while Brazil’s democracy may still be vigorous, Mr. Temer, a politician from the centrist, scandal-plagued He ascended to the presidency not through an election but via a contentious impeachment in a Congress where leaders are facing trials on graft charges. His administration faces claims that it is trying to Still, the visit to the