In Brazil’s presidential election held on Sunday, conservative Senator Flavio Bolsonaro emerged victorious against incumbent socialist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. However, he fell short of the 50 percent mark needed for an outright win, which means a runoff election will be necessary.
On Sunday, Brazilian citizens participated in general elections that included presidential, local leadership, and congressional races. Among the 13 candidates vying for the presidency, Bolsonaro and Lula were expected to take the lead, while the other candidates didn’t seem to garner significant support.
As of the latest updates, 99.57 percent of votes had been counted. Bolsonaro led with 47.12 percent, equating to almost 56 million votes, while Lula secured 45.05 percent, or roughly 53.5 million votes. The third-place candidate, self-help author Augusto Cury, managed just 2.89 percent, around 3.4 million votes.
The electoral map indicates a nearly even division between the northern and southern regions of Brazil. Lula’s Workers’ Party (PT) was successful in most northern states, except for Roraima, which borders Venezuela and has taken in many Venezuelan refugees. Conversely, Bolsonaro and his Liberal Party (PL) won in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and various southern states.
For a candidate to secure the presidency in the initial vote, they need to achieve over 50 percent support. Bolsonaro occasionally appeared to surpass this threshold, but as votes from left-leaning areas arrived, his margin over Lula decreased. The runoff will determine the winner based on who receives the most votes, with no minimum percentage needed.
Brazilians will head back to the polls for the runoff on October 25.
Lula, now 80, is aiming for a fourth presidential term, which is particularly noteworthy since he was previously convicted of misusing government funds during his second term and faced a ban on holding public office. He tried to run for president while in prison in 2018 but didn’t make the ballot. The Supreme Federal Tribunal (STF) later overturned his ban, allowing him to compete in 2022, ultimately defeating then-incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.
Senator Bolsonaro announced his presidential candidacy following actions from the STF that resulted in his father’s imprisonment and disqualification from public service. The younger Bolsonaro campaigned against Lula’s leftist policies, promoting conservative views on economic and social issues.
Interestingly, it appears Bolsonaro did better than many polls suggested. The final pre-election surveys indicated a tight race, often within the margin of error, with Lula slightly ahead in most cases.
The two main candidates ascended to the top after a tumultuous campaign season that began in late 2025, when Lula’s expected rival, former President Bolsonaro, received a hefty prison sentence over dubious charges. The Bolsonaro family quickly shifted their strategy, with various family members already in politics, as Senator Flavio Bolsonaro declared his intent to challenge Lula.
Numerous other family members, including former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro and Flavio’s brother Renan, joined the race for congressional seats. Recent reports suggest the former first lady and other family members have been elected to significant positions, but results for some members, including Flavio’s mother and Jair’s brother, are still pending.
In the final month of campaigning, both candidates faced intense criticism. Lula, having been previously convicted of corruption, faced accusations of endorsing inappropriate behavior after an awkward remark about prostate cancer. On the other hand, Bolsonaro was falsely accused of planning to use government power against religious sentiments if he were to be elected. While Brazil has a Catholic majority, both Bolsonaro and his family identify as Evangelical Christians, a faith growing rapidly in the country.
The STF’s electoral body, the Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE), intervened notably in the race’s last week, censoring a conservative lawmaker’s critique of Lula and preventing coverage of an empty podium for Lula during a scheduled debate after he chose not to participate, which ultimately led to its cancellation. Globo, a major news outlet, cited “judicial interference” as the reason for this last-minute development.
