Right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro has finished ahead of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil’s election, forcing the two candidates into a run-off after neither secured a majority.
In a surprise result that defied opinion polls showing Lula in the lead, Flavio Bolsonaro won 47% of the vote, compared with 45% for the incumbent.
The run-off will be held on October 25.
If Bolsonaro wins, Brazil will join a growing rightward shift across Latin America in recent elections, a trend championed by US President Donald Trump.
Bolsonaro dynasty stages comeback
The election also delivered a series of landslide victories for the right in Congress, marking a major setback for Lula, who at almost 81 is seeking a fourth term to cement his political legacy.
‘I admit I was convinced I would win in the first round. The game is about to start. In extra time, we will win over the Brazilian people,’ Lula said.
‘I’m very good at knockout stages.’
The veteran leftist has described the election as a battle between democracy and ‘barbarism’, warning that Brazil’s sovereignty was at stake amid US pressure.
Flavio Bolsonaro was a little-known senator just months ago before his father anointed him as his political heir.
Jair Bolsonaro is unable to run after being sentenced to 27 years in prison for an attempted coup following his defeat in the 2022 election.
However, the Bolsonaro name proved powerful among the country’s conservative base, helping Flavio overtake Lula despite a campaign marked by scandals and mudslinging.
‘I am truly happy with the result,’ Flavio Bolsonaro said after the results came in, describing a run-off victory as a ‘very real possibility’.
Voters in the deeply polarised nation appeared jaded by the familiar choices, with some saying they had voted without strong conviction.
Oscarina de Oliveira, a 62-year-old caregiver, told AFP she had planned to vote for Lula, as she always had.
‘When I got there, I switched to Bolsonaro. Just to see what happens, to see if anything changes,’ she said.
Bolsonaro family strengthens position
During the campaign, it emerged that Flavio Bolsonaro was under investigation for corruption involving the financing of the biopic ‘Dark Horse’ about his father.
For many voters, however, the controversy did little to change their views.
With 56 million votes, Flavio’s first-round performance surpassed that of Jair Bolsonaro in both the 2018 election, when he was elected, and the 2022 election.
‘Things are truly terrible. As far as I’m concerned, the left just doesn’t work anymore,’ said Joao Batista, a 36-year-old tech worker in the Rocinha favela, citing the ‘horrible’ cost of basic goods.
Flavio Bolsonaro also highlighted that, as president, he would have the opportunity to appoint four justices to the powerful Supreme Court, which convicted his father and has been at the centre of major political and criminal scandals.
The election marked a strong comeback for the Bolsonaro family after Jair Bolsonaro lost his re-election bid in 2022, followed by violent riots in the capital and his conviction last year for attempting a coup.
Former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro and another of Jair Bolsonaro’s sons, Carlos Bolsonaro, both won seats in the Senate.
Jair Bolsonaro’s youngest son, Jair Renan, 28, was elected as a federal lawmaker.
Flavio has presented himself as more ‘moderate’ than his firebrand father, but critics remain concerned.
‘Flavio is a danger to Brazil, he represents a step backward. We can see everything his father did… He really destroyed Brazil,’ said Anderson de Almeida, a 45-year-old doorman.
Trump watches Brazil vote
Trump has said he was watching the election ‘very closely’ but did not endorse Flavio Bolsonaro.
The US president has used tariffs and sanctions to pressure Brasilia over complaints ranging from the trial of his ally Jair Bolsonaro to alleged unfair trade practices.
Lula repeatedly warned Trump not to ‘meddle’ in the election.
Lula, who is revered for social welfare programmes that lifted millions out of poverty, made a political comeback in the 2022 election after spending 18 months in jail following a corruption conviction.
The charges were later thrown out on procedural grounds but have continued to haunt him.
During his third term, Lula oversaw declines in inflation and unemployment, but voters have complained about the high cost of living.
As in many Latin American countries, voters are also frustrated by high levels of crime and violence.
