With nearly all ballots counted, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro took 47.04 percent of valid votes to President Lula's 45.15 percent. Neither reached a majority, so they meet again on 25 October.
Brazil's presidential race is headed to a runoff on 25 October after Senator Flavio Bolsonaro finished ahead of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Sunday's first round without winning a majority.
Agencia Senado, citing results with 99.97 percent of polling stations counted, reported Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party on 47.04 percent of valid votes, or 56,098,457 ballots, and Lula of the Workers' Party on 45.15 percent, or 53,846,396. Turnout was 78.92 percent, with abstention at 21.08 percent. Writer Augusto Cury of Avante was third on 2.89 percent. The BBC, with almost all votes counted, reported the same close split, about 47 percent to 45 percent.
Bolsonaro is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for masterminding a failed coup after losing the 2022 election. The BBC reported that Flavio Bolsonaro has pledged amnesty for his father and for supporters responsible for the 8 January riots if elected, and that he said he was very happy to have led the first round and was confident about the runoff.
Lula is seeking re-election. The campaign has been dominated by the cost of living, corruption and crime, according to Reuters accounts carried in market previews. Polls during the campaign had Lula slightly ahead, so Bolsonaro's first-round lead exceeded those expectations.
Other right-of-centre candidates were eliminated in the first round. The second round is a head-to-head between Bolsonaro and Lula.
People Sentiments Mixed
- Bolsonaro said he was very happy to have led the first round and expressed confidence about the runoff
- Coverage noted the result ran ahead of polls that had Lula slightly ahead