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Lula, l'homme de l'année 2009

Lula gives an interview at Itamaraty Palace, in Brasília, on February 11, 2009 (photo from the same year as Le Monde's selection; it has no relation to the publication).
Lula gives an interview at Itamaraty Palace, in Brasília, on February 11, 2009 (photo from the same year as Le Monde's selection; it has no relation to the publication).Photo: José Cruz/Agência Brasil, CC BY 3.0 BR

Documentary record

On December 24, 2009, Le Monde published that, for the first time in its history, it was choosing a person of the year, and that the choice fell on Lula.[1]

The newspaper justifies the choice by his trajectory as a former union leader, his success at the head of Brazil, and his concern for economic development, the fight against inequalities, and the defense of the environment.[2]

Sources and evidence

Excerpts are quoted in the original language of the source.

  1. 1. On December 24, 2009, Le Monde published that, for the first time in its history, it was choosing a person of the year, and that the choice fell on Lula.

    • Lula, l'homme de l'année 2009, par Eric Fottorino · Le Monde Outlet responsible for the list
      Where: paragraph 1. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Pour la première fois dans son histoire, Le Monde a décidé de désigner la personnalité de l'année.”
    • Lula, l'homme de l'année 2009, par Eric Fottorino · Le Monde Outlet responsible for the list
      Where: paragraph 3 (end). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “notre choix de raison et de cœur s'est porté sur le président brésilien Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, plus connu sous le simple nom de Lula.”
    • Lula, l'homme de l'année 2009, par Eric Fottorino (Le Monde), cópia arquivada pelo Internet Archive em 26/05/2013 · Le Monde Outlet responsible for the list
      Read from an archived copy (Internet Archive (Wayback Machine), captured May 26, 2013); original address: www.lemonde.fr. 2013 capture of the article of December 24, 2009. The archived text has an ellipsis in "bien mérité... du monde"; the evidence stops before it and nothing is claimed about the omitted part. The archive preserves the copy; the author is Le Monde.
      Where: paragraph 1. Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “Pour la première fois dans son histoire, Le Monde a décidé de désigner la personnalité de l'année.”
    • Lula, l'homme de l'année 2009, par Eric Fottorino (Le Monde), cópia arquivada pelo Internet Archive em 26/05/2013 · Le Monde Outlet responsible for the list
      Read from an archived copy (Internet Archive (Wayback Machine), captured May 26, 2013); original address: www.lemonde.fr. 2013 capture of the article of December 24, 2009. The archived text has an ellipsis in "bien mérité... du monde"; the evidence stops before it and nothing is claimed about the omitted part. The archive preserves the copy; the author is Le Monde.
      Where: paragraph 3 (end). Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “s'est porté sur le président brésilien Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, plus connu sous le simple nom de Lula.”
    • Lula, l'homme de l'année 2009, par Eric Fottorino (Le Monde), cópia arquivada pelo Internet Archive em 26/05/2013 · Le Monde Outlet responsible for the list
      Read from an archived copy (Internet Archive (Wayback Machine), captured May 26, 2013); original address: www.lemonde.fr. 2013 capture of the article of December 24, 2009. The archived text has an ellipsis in "bien mérité... du monde"; the evidence stops before it and nothing is claimed about the omitted part. The archive preserves the copy; the author is Le Monde.
      Where: date line below the title. Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “24.12.2009 à 11h32”

  2. 2. The newspaper justifies the choice by his trajectory as a former union leader, his success at the head of Brazil, and his concern for economic development, the fight against inequalities, and the defense of the environment.

    • Lula, l'homme de l'année 2009, par Eric Fottorino · Le Monde Outlet responsible for the list
      Where: paragraph 4. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Il nous a paru que par son parcours singulier d'ancien syndicaliste, par sa réussite à la tête d'un pays aussi complexe que le Brésil, par son souci du développement économique, de la lutte contre les inégalités et de la défense de l'environnement, Lula avait bien mérité… du monde.”
    • Lula, l'homme de l'année 2009, par Eric Fottorino (Le Monde), cópia arquivada pelo Internet Archive em 26/05/2013 · Le Monde Outlet responsible for the list
      Read from an archived copy (Internet Archive (Wayback Machine), captured May 26, 2013); original address: www.lemonde.fr. 2013 capture of the article of December 24, 2009. The archived text has an ellipsis in "bien mérité... du monde"; the evidence stops before it and nothing is claimed about the omitted part. The archive preserves the copy; the author is Le Monde.
      Where: paragraph 4. Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “Il nous a paru que par son parcours singulier d'ancien syndicaliste, par sa réussite à la tête d'un pays aussi complexe que le Brésil, par son souci du développement économique, de la lutte contre les inégalités et de la défense de l'environnement, Lula avait bien mérité”