Brazil heads to a runoff between Flavio Bolsonaro and Lula

Brazil's presidential election will go to a second round on 25 October after Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of the former president Jair Bolsonaro, finished ahead of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the first round.

Flavio Bolsonaro, of the right-wing Liberal Party, won around 47 per cent of the vote, while Lula, of the left-wing Workers' Party, took about 45 per cent. Because neither candidate passed 50 per cent, the two will face each other in a runoff.

A tense count

Early in the count, Flavio Bolsonaro had more than half of the votes counted, enough to win outright. His share fell gradually as results came in from areas where Lula is stronger, ensuring a second round.

Who are the candidates?

Lula, who turns 81 this month, is seeking a fourth term. He was president from 2003 to 2010 and returned to power in 2023 after narrowly defeating Jair Bolsonaro in 2022. Concerns about his age and health have been an issue in the campaign, after he suffered a brain bleed in December 2024 that required surgery.

Flavio Bolsonaro is a senator for Rio de Janeiro and has his father's endorsement. Jair Bolsonaro is barred from standing for office until 2030 after rulings by Brazil's courts. He was arrested in 2025 and was sentenced this year to 27 years in prison over his involvement in a plot to overturn the result of the 2022 election.

Congress

Brazilians also voted for all 513 members of the Chamber of Deputies and 54 of the 81 members of the Federal Senate. The Liberal Party emerged as the largest party in the Chamber of Deputies with 98 seats, ahead of the Workers' Party on 64. In the Senate, the Liberal Party gained 13 seats.

The results mean that whoever wins the presidency will have to work with a Congress in which the right is strong. Brazil's Congress is made up of many parties, and presidents usually need to build broad coalitions to pass laws.

Other candidates

Nine other candidates stood in the first round, including Ronaldo Caiado and Romeu Zema, both state governors. Their supporters could decide the runoff, and both main candidates will now try to win them over.

A divided country

Brazil, with a population of more than 210 million, is Latin America's largest country and economy. Its politics has been deeply polarised between supporters of Lula and supporters of the Bolsonaro family for most of the past decade.

After the 2022 election, supporters of Jair Bolsonaro stormed government buildings in the capital, Brasilia, on 8 January 2023, in scenes compared with the attack on the US Capitol two years earlier.

Why it matters beyond Brazil

Brazil is home to most of the Amazon rainforest, and the result will shape policy on deforestation and climate change. Lula's Government has cut deforestation rates in recent years. Brazil is also a major trading partner for many countries, including the UK, and a leading voice among developing nations.

The runoff

Voting in Brazil is compulsory for most adults aged 18 to 70. The second round will take place on Sunday 25 October, with results expected the same night thanks to the country's electronic voting system.

The campaign ahead

Both campaigns now have three weeks to win over undecided voters and the supporters of the candidates who were knocked out. Lula is expected to focus on his record on poverty, the minimum wage and social programmes, while Flavio Bolsonaro is expected to campaign on crime, the economy and opposition to Lula's Workers' Party.