Brazil extends voting hours after public transport issues
Brazil's Supreme Court extended presidential election voting hours due to public transport issues, forcing a temporary pause in the vote count. The election features a high-stakes contest between incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro.
Why it matters
The delay and the political climate surrounding the election raise concerns about stability and potential civil unrest in Brazil, echoing the volatility of the 2022 election cycle.
Brazil's Supreme Court extended voting in the country's presidential election by two hours, leading the electoral authority to pause a vote count that had already started publishing early-stage results.
The election pits leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of convicted former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Polls were initially set to close at 5pm (8pm Irish time) and will now close at 7pm, after Supreme Justice Cristiano Zanin accepted a request by Mr Lula's campaign to extend voting, pointing to public transportation issues in three cities in the state of Bahia.
Mr Justice Zanin's decision landed right around the 5pm cutoff, when the electoral court had already started publishing results that showed Mr Lula leading Mr Bolsonaro with 0.25% of ballot counted.
Mr Lula had 57.66% of votes, compared with 42.34% for Mr Bolsonaro, the early count showed.
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