Lula targets non-voters and over-70s to overturn the first-round result

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva plans to concentrate his campaign for the upcoming runoff on October 25th on enlisting those who abstained from voting, especially individuals over the age of 70, and appealing to centrist voters after trailing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro by nearly two points in the first round. This is an unprecedented challenge as no candidate has ever won the runoff after finishing second in the first round since Brazil reintroduced direct presidential elections in 1989.

In Brazil, voting becomes optional for those who reach the age of 70, and in 2022, around 60% of this demographic failed to vote, according to El País. The last Datafolha poll conducted before the election put Lula 11 points ahead among older voters. Lula has already urged them in his final push: "Don't think that because you're 70 you shouldn't vote.

Go, get up and vote." Reuters reports that Lula is contemplating announcing his vice president, Geraldo Alckmin, a centrist figure, as his finance minister in a potential second term, as a means of courting business support. The Workers' Party is also anticipating Congress to greenlight its proposal to reduce work hours, thereby guaranteeing two days off per week without a pay cut.

Lula's party president, Edinho Silva, stated to Globo that the runoff is a fresh election involving a direct clash of projects, and Lula intends to participate in all debates he can. On election night, the president linked Bolsonaro to organized crime in Rio de Janeiro; Bolsonaro, a member of the Liberal Party, is currently under investigation in the Banco Master case, though there are no formal charges against him.

Neither candidate participated in a debate during the first round. The first runoff debate is scheduled for Sunday.