Voters across Brazil are casting ballots in the first round of a presidential and congressional election, with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro the clear frontrunners and a runoff on October 25 likely if neither clears 50 percent.
Brazilians went to the polls on Sunday in the first round of a general election that will decide the presidency, all 513 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and two-thirds of the Senate. Reuters reported from Brasilia and Sao Paulo that the campaign has been dominated by corruption scandals, economic anxiety and accusations of U.S. meddling, with little detailed policy debate after both leading candidates skipped the main television debates.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 80, is seeking a fourth term. His main rival is Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, 45, of the Liberal Party, the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. The Associated Press reported that Lula voted after 9 a.m. at a school in Sao Bernardo do Campo and said he was confident of an outright win, while Flavio Bolsonaro voted in Rio de Janeiro and said Brazil needed change.
A candidate must win more than 50 percent of valid votes to avoid a runoff. Reuters said surveys show Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro roughly even in a likely second round on October 25. BBC News reported that its poll tracker had both near 40 percent, with other candidates at 4 percent or less.
Jair Bolsonaro is barred from running and is under house arrest after a conviction related to efforts to overturn his 2022 loss, AP and Al Jazeera reported. A Flavio Bolsonaro victory would extend a run of right-wing wins in Latin America aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump, Reuters noted, while another Lula term would keep friction with Washington over trade and security.
Polls were scheduled to close at 5 p.m. local time. Official results were still being counted as this brief was filed. The next government, whoever leads it, will inherit high public debt and a weak growth outlook, Reuters said.
People Sentiments Mixed
- Lula told supporters he expected a first-round win.
- Flavio Bolsonaro said he was convinced the conditions were in place for a first-round victory.
- AP reported a party atmosphere among Brazilians voting in Paris.