Polls close in Brazil as Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro remain neck and neck
Polls have closed in Brazil's tight presidential election between incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and challenger Flávio Bolsonaro. The result is expected to be a close contest, with a potential run-off scheduled for October 25 if no candidate secures a majority.
Why it matters
The outcome of this election will have significant implications for Brazil's domestic policy and its geopolitical alignment with the United States and other global powers.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, About 160 million people are eligible to vote in Brazil's general election today
Polls have closed in Brazil's general election, after voters queued in long lines for a tight first round of the presidential race.
After casting his ballot, 80-year-old left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned that the choice was between democracy and "barbarism".
His challenger, right-winger Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, said he wanted to "free the Brazilian people".
The result is forecast to be close. BBC Brazil's poll aggregator shows that the gap between Lula and Bolsonaro is only two points. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the election will go to a run-off on 25 October.
According to Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE), more than 158.7 million Brazilians, including one million people abroad, are eligible to vote in the election.
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