Präsidentenwahl in Brasilien: Lula will vierte Amtszeit – Duell mit Bolsonaros Sohn

Brasilien's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has officially been nominated by his left-wing Workers Party (PT) for a fourth term. The 80-year-old stated during the party meeting in São Paulo that he is in much better physical condition than when he first took office at 57 years old. Brazilian constitution allows a president to be re-elected for one consecutive term.

Lula has been president since 2023, previously serving from 2003 to 2010. He plans to run for a fourth term if re-elected. His vice-presidential candidate for this election will be Geraldo Alckmin. The main challenger to Lula is the right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to over 27 years in prison for attempting a coup.

Flávio Bolsonaro was nominated by his Liberal Party (PL) last week. Despite his father's close ties to US President Donald Trump, Flávio is considered less popular and has not garnered the solid support of the conservative faction. During the event, Argentine ultraliberal President Javier Milei also appeared and harshly criticized both Lula and the Brazilian justice system.

This led to a diplomatic incident, considered one of the most severe disputes between the two South American neighbors in decades. Additionally, a AI-generated video featuring Jair Bolsonaro, which was not approved by the house-arrested ex-President, caused further controversy. The electoral authorities are investigating potential violations, but the revocation of his son's candidacy seems unlikely.

The Brazilian presidential election takes place on October 4th. If no candidate achieves an absolute majority, a runoff election is scheduled for October 25th.