Brazil election: Lula faces Flávio Bolsonaro in the first round

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is facing Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, in the first round of the presidential election.

Polling stations close at 17:00 BRT (20:00 UTC). Brazil elects its president by direct vote, with no electoral college. A candidate must win more than 50% of valid votes to avoid a runoff.

Runoff scheduled for 25 October

If no candidate reaches that threshold, the two highest-scoring candidates will compete in a second round three weeks later. Opinion polls identify Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro as the leading contenders but show no clear favourite for a potential runoff.

Lula, 80, is a veteran of Brazil’s left and has served three presidential terms. During his first two terms, from 2003 to 2011, he was credited with overseeing commodity-fuelled economic growth and a reduction in poverty. Because Brazilian presidents are limited to two consecutive terms, a victory would prevent him from standing in 2030.

Flávio Bolsonaro is a 45-year-old lawyer and former senator from Rio de Janeiro. His father is serving a 27-year prison sentence for masterminding a failed coup after losing the 2022 election. Jair Bolsonaro has endorsed his son and hopes to regain his freedom if Flávio wins.

Minas Gerais remains a key test

Minas Gerais, a mountainous mining and agricultural state with 21 million inhabitants, is being closely watched. Since democracy returned in the 1980s, no presidential candidate has won nationally without also carrying the state.

Jair Bolsonaro defeated Lula’s candidate there by more than 1.7 million votes in 2018. Four years later, Lula reclaimed Minas Gerais by fewer than 50,000 votes and also won the national election.

The new president will take office on 5 January 2027.