Second-round vote set for 25 October after Bolsonaro secures 56.1 million votes to Lula’s 53.8 million
By
Brazil’s presidential election has been forced into a runoff after right-wing Flávio Bolsonaro won the first round of voting, beating left-wing President Lula da Silva.
After votes were counted, Bolsonaro had 47 per cent of the votes compared to Lula’s 45 per cent – neither securing the 50 per cent needed to avoid a second round of voting. Almost 160 million Brazilians were eligible to vote in the latest election.
‘I am very happy with the real possibility that, three weeks from now, Brazil will give a definitive answer by choosing a modern government,’ said Bolsonaro, according to AFP.
Enjoying this article? Check out our related reads…
Lula said: ‘I admit I was convinced I would win in the first round. The game is about to start. We are in extra time. In extra time, we will win over the Brazilian people.’
If appointed, Lula would be in his fourth term as president, after being elected in 2002, 2006 and then later in 2022.
Lula is popular with voters in Brazil’s poorer northeast, low-income individuals, Catholics and women. His campaign has taken a more climate-oriented approach, strengthening environmental agencies. Under Lula, deforestation has fallen – although the government’s plan to end deforestation by 2030 remains a challenge.
Some environmentalists have remained critical of his recent actions, including support for exploratory oil drilling in offshore waters near the Amazon River’s mouth. However, Lula remains adamant that Brazil will eventually phase out fossil fuels and move to clean energy.
In contrast, Flávio Bolsonaro is popular with those in the south, wealthier voters and evangelical Christians. His campaign has mainly focused on crime and the economy, advocating for longer sentences for criminals and more relaxed gun laws so that ‘decent citizens’ can defend themselves from criminals. In addition, Bolsonaro has successfully lobbied for the US to declare criminal gangs in Brazil as foreign terrorist organisations, a move opposed by Lula.
According to Plant for the Planet analysis, a Bolsonaro government would carry a ‘high risk of weaker environmental enforcement’, such as faster expansion of extractive and agricultural activties, increased incentives for illegal deforestation and reduced engagement with international forest protection cooperation.
Flávio Bolsonaro is also the son of Jair Bolsonaro, the right-wing former president of Brazil who governed the country between 2019 and 2023. He is currently serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election to Lula. Trump openly endorsed Bolsonaro earlier in his campaign.
