Lula, Bolsonaro head to run-off after neither secure majority in Brazil election's 1st round
Brazil's presidential election is heading to a run-off after neither candidate secured a majority in the first round. The contest between the incumbent and the challenger reflects deep political divisions regarding the country's economic direction and corruption.
Why it matters
As one of the world's largest democracies, the outcome of the Brazilian election has significant implications for Latin American geopolitics and global economic policy.
Bolsonaro gained 47 per cent of votes versus Lula's 45 per cent. Private surveys in the run-up to the election had forecast Lula leading the first-round vote by around three percentage points.
"Brazil wants change and I am very happy with the results," Bolsonaro told reporters in Brasilia after nearly all tallies were reported, heralding "the end of the era of [Lula's] Workers' Party."
The senator, son of right-wing former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election, now heads to an Oct. 25 showdown with the leftist Lula.
The election, which centred around the cost of living, corruption and insecurity in Brazilians' daily lives, follows a string of wins across Latin America by right-wing parties aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Also covering this story
17 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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