Brazil presidential election 2026: first-round live results
Brazil is holding its 2026 presidential election with incumbent Lula da Silva facing Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of the imprisoned former president. The election is a critical test for the country's political future as candidates compete for a majority to avoid a runoff.
Why it matters
The outcome will determine the leadership of Latin America's largest economy and influence the region's political trajectory.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is standing against Flávio Bolsonaro in the first round of the presidential race
The incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , is up against Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of the former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is in prison for plotting a military coup. The president in Brazil is directly elected, and candidates need more than 50% of the vote to avoid a second round. Polls close at 17.00 BRT / 21.00 BST.
Brazil’s president is directly elected: each voter’s ballot counts equally and there is no electoral college. If no candidate wins more than 50% of the valid votes cast in the first round, a second runoff election will be held three weeks later between the two candidates who polled highest.
Also covering this story
5 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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Lula ahead in polls for Brazil’s first-round vote; runoff likely
Why has Brazil accused the US of election interference?
Lula or Bolsonaro: Wall Street braces for two wildly different results in Brazil election
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