Senator Flávio Bolsonaro and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will contest Brazil’s presidential run-off on 25 October after neither won an outright majority in Sunday’s election.
Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court confirmed the two candidates’ places in an announcement published early on Monday, 5 October.
With 99.99 per cent of ballot boxes counted, Bolsonaro had 47.03 per cent of valid votes, ahead of Lula’s 45.16 per cent. The lead gives Bolsonaro first place in the opening round, but does not settle who will become president. tse.jus.br, agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br
What the Results Show
The electoral court recorded 56,104,268 votes for Bolsonaro and 53,876,617 for Lula in its update.
That puts Bolsonaro ahead by approximately 2.23 million votes, or 1.87 percentage points. Both candidates must now compete in a second round because neither passed the threshold of more than half of valid votes required for a first-round victory. (tse.jus.br, agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br)
Bolsonaro represents the Liberal Party, known by its Portuguese initials PL. Lula is the Workers’ Party candidate, representing the PT.
The Candidates Facing the Second Round
Bolsonaro, 45, is a senator for Rio de Janeiro and a former state legislator. This is his first campaign for the presidency. His running mate is federal deputy Alfredo Gaspar.
Lula, 80, is seeking another term after returning to office in 2023. He previously served as president from 2003 to 2010. His running mate is the current vice-president, Geraldo Alckmin. (tse.jus.br)
Flávio is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. According to Reuters, the campaign was shaped by concerns about living costs, corruption and public insecurity. (reuters.com)
Both Campaigns Turn to the Run-off
Speaking after the results, Bolsonaro said the vote showed a desire for change and welcomed his performance.
Lula acknowledged that the outcome was unexpected, saying he had believed he could win in the first round. He told supporters that a new campaign would begin on Monday, according to Brazil’s public news agency, Agência Brasil. (agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br)
The candidates now have three weeks before voters choose between them. Bolsonaro’s first-round advantage establishes his current position, while the presidency remains undecided until the second-round vote. (agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br)
