Brazil Holds Presidential Election as Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro Face Off in Tight Race
Brazilians began voting on Sunday in the first round of the presidential election, a contest that will determine whether the Latin American economic powerhouse remains under left-wing rule or shifts rightward. Polls opened from 8:00 to 17:00 Brasília time, with digital voting systems designed to release initial results within three hours of closing. The race pits incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Lula da Silva, set to turn 81, is seeking re-election for his fourth and final term. He has warned voters that Brazil's sovereignty is at risk due to pressure exerted by US President Donald Trump. His opponent, 45-year-old Flávio Bolsonaro, is making his debut in the presidential race. He aims to follow in the footsteps of his father, who governed between 2019 and 2022 and pursued policies of close alignment with the United States. Jair Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence.
According to opinion polls, the two leading candidates are in a statistical tie. Lula da Silva holds 45% of voting intentions, while Flávio Bolsonaro has 43%. The senator has emphasized his proximity to the White House, insisting that Brazil needs to strike better deals with the Trump administration, particularly regarding the economy of rare minerals. Polls suggest neither candidate will cross the 50% threshold needed for an outright victory this Sunday, indicating a second round of voting is expected on 25 October.
The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) stated that 158 745 463 voters are expected to cast their ballots. Voting is compulsory, and those who do not vote must provide a justification. Brazilians are also electing 27 state governors, state deputies, all 513 federal deputies in the Chamber of Deputies, and 54 of the country's 81 senators. Overseas, voting is restricted to the President and Vice-President. Around 918 000 registered voters scattered around the world are expected to take part.
In some locations, voting had been underway for several hours, such as in Portugal, which is home to the second-largest Brazilian electoral constituency abroad. In others, polls had already closed. According to provisional results published so far, Lula da Silva is ahead in Malaysia, Singapore, China, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. Flávio Bolsonaro is winning in the Philippines and Japan. The TSE will release final results from 17:00 in Brasília, which corresponds to 21:00 in Lisbon.
This report was produced in the Europe Brief News newsroom.
