Elections in Brazil: son of ex-president overtook the current leader of the country in the first round

Senator Flavio Bolsonaro took first place in the first round of the presidential election in Brazil, ahead of the current president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The winner of the election will be determined in the second round on October 25.

According to official data from the Superior Electoral Court of Brazil after counting 99.99% of polling stations, Bolsonaro received 47.03% of valid votes, and Lula - 45.16%.

In absolute numbers, about 56.1 million voters voted for the candidate from the Liberal Party. The current president was supported by almost 53.9 million. The difference between the two candidates was approximately 2.2 million votes.

None of the candidates managed to overcome the barrier of 50% of valid votes necessary for victory in the first round, so Bolsonaro and Lula will meet in the second round.

The result turned out to be better for Bolsonaro than the latest polls before the vote indicated. On the eve of the election, Datafolha and Quaest surveys showed very close figures for the candidates, with Lula having a slight advantage in some polls.

According to Folha de S.Paulo, the difference between the two leaders was the smallest in the first round of a presidential election in Brazil since the restoration of democracy. In 2022, the gap between Lula and Jair Bolsonaro after the first round exceeded five percentage points.

Flavio Bolsonaro, who is 45 years old, is a senator from the state of Rio de Janeiro and the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. This is his first presidential campaign. Lula, who is 80 years old, is running for a new term after returning to the presidency in 2023.

The second round of the presidential election in Brazil will take place on October 25.

Based on materials: Superior Electoral Court of Brazil, Folha de S.Paulo, The Guardian