Brazil’s presidential election went to a runoff on October 25 after right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro finished ahead of incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva but failed to secure an outright majority. With virtually all ballots counted, Bolsonaro received 47.03%, or 56.1 million votes, against Lula’s 45.16%, or 53.9 million, according to Brazil’s electoral authority.
Bolsonaro, the 45-year-old son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, described the result as “the end of an era” for Lula’s Workers’ Party. Lula, 80, acknowledged that the result was “unexpected”, after saying he had believed he could win in the first round. “But we have a second round,” he told supporters.
The vote also strengthened Brazil’s right beyond the presidential race. Of the 54 Senate seats contested, 34 went to right-wing or far-right candidates, according to the Guardian. Jair Bolsonaro’s wife, Michelle, and another son, Carlos, were among those elected.
The runoff could also reshape Brazil’s relationship with Washington. Flávio Bolsonaro has sought closer ties with Donald Trump, while Lula has accused the US administration of interfering in Brazilian politics and made national sovereignty a central campaign issue. The two candidates now have three weeks to compete for voters who backed eliminated candidates and voters who abstained in the first round.
References:
- Phillips, T., & Rogero, T. (2026, October 5). Brazil’s presidential race goes to second round as Flávio Bolsonaro leads incumbent Lula. The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/05/brazil-presidential-race-election-result-second-round-lula-flavio-bolsonaro
- Ionova, A., & Ellick, A. B. (2026, October 5). Brazil elections head to runoff between Lula and Bolsonaro son. The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/05/world/americas/balsanaro-lula-brazil-presidency-trump.html
- Tribunal Superior Eleitoral. (2026, October 5). Flávio Bolsonaro e Lula vão disputar o 2º turno para a Presidência da República: https://www.tse.jus.br/comunicacao/noticias/2026/Outubro/flavio-bolsonaro-e-lula-vao-disputar-o-2o-turno-para-a-presidencia-da-republica
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