What to know as Brazilians choose between Lula and Bolsonaro in tense presidential runoff
Summary
Brazilian voters are choosing between incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a presidential runoff on October 25, 2026. The result will decide whether Lula wins another term or Bolsonaro, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, takes office; polls show a close race after Bolsonaro led the first round without securing a majority.Key Facts
- Flávio Bolsonaro received 47 percent of the first-round vote, compared with Lula’s 45 percent.
- Neither candidate won an outright majority in the first round, requiring a runoff.
- Lula, 80, has served as president from 2003 to 2010 and again since 2023.
- Lula’s approval rating fell as low as 24 percent during his current term, amid concerns about crime and living costs.
- Lula increased payments through the Bolsa Família welfare program by 15 percent and cut fuel taxes ahead of the runoff.
- Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, has campaigned on hard-line security policies, including building large prisons modeled on those in El Salvador.
- Flávio’s father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup to prevent the end of his presidency.
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