Nostalgia for a dictatorship is determining the Philippines’ next president

The last time a Marcos was president of the Philippines, his two-decade rule was brought down by waves of mass protests. Ferdinand Marcos Sr., along his wife Imelda, of the 3000 shoes, their family, and a convoy of cronies and loyalists, fled into exile in Hawaii in 1986. Ferdinand died three years later. In a country prone to dynasties, the people declared that the Philippines would never again fall under the sway of a Marcos.

But now, his son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., is poised to win the presidency in next Monday’s election to select a successor to president Rodrigo Duterte. (Since the People Power revolution, Philippine presidents are limited to a single term.)

Marcos Jr. narrowly lost to the current vice president, Leni Robredo, in 2016. At next week’s elections, she’ll be his nearest rival in a crowded presidential race. This time, however, polls published just a week before the May 9 vote show Marcos with a more than 30-point lead over Robredo. The next eight candidates, who include boxer Manny Pacquiao, collectively have just over 15% of the vote. If Marcos is victorious, he will likely be the first president in over 30 years to win with a majority of the vote.

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