Bolsonaro shocks Lula as Brazil heads to run-off

Brazil's presidential election will proceed to a run-off after neither of the top candidates secured a majority in the first round. Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, finished first with 47.45% of valid votes, according to Al Jazeera. Incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured 44.66% of the vote, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The run-off election is scheduled for October 25. According to Punch Nigeria, Flavio Bolsonaro's first-place finish was a surprise, as opinion polls had suggested a close contest with Lula holding a marginal lead. The election also saw landslide wins for the right in parliament, according to The Jakarta Post.

Lula, who is almost 81 and seeking a fourth term, has framed the election as a battle between democracy and "barbarism", warning that Brazil's sovereignty is at stake, The Jakarta Post reported. Flavio Bolsonaro has celebrated his result, saying it's the end of the Lula era.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch Nigeria, Al Jazeera, Gulf News, Free Press Journal, The Jakarta Post — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.