Brazil holds presidential run-off vote as incumbent Lula faces Flávio Bolsonaro

Polling stations have opened across Brazil for a tight presidential run-off election between 80-year-old incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Lula is seeking a fourth non-consecutive term in office, while his 45-year-old opponent is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Jair Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election, though he is under house arrest due to ill health. Flávio Bolsonaro came top in the first round of voting on October 4, a result US President Donald Trump called a very big victory. No candidate who trailed after the first round has ever managed to overturn the deficit to win a second round in Brazil. Bolsonaro campaigned heavily in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais, promising a tough crackdown on organised crime, tax cuts, public spending cuts, and the release of his father. Lula and his supporters held massive rallies in Rio de Janeiro, including on Copacabana beach, aiming to boost turnout after 33 million people skipped voting earlier this month. Lula framed the election as a battle for sovereignty and democracy, while his administration accused the US of election interference, a claim Washington called baseless.

Context

Brazil is South America's largest democracy and economy, making its national elections closely watched worldwide. The deep political divide between left-wing and right-wing groups has heavily shaped recent federal politics and foreign relations.