Brazil's Lula, Flavio Bolsonaro tied ahead of runoff vote
With just under a week to go before the decisive presidential runoff election, polls show left-wing incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro are virtually tied.
The runoff election in Brazil, set for October 25, has both incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and right-wing populist Flavio Bolsonaro tied with 50% voter support according to recent polls. This closely contested vote could mirror the 2022 election where Lula narrowly defeated Bolsonaro's father, Jair Messias Bolsonaro, by a margin of just 50.9%.
Flavio Bolsonaro defeated his father in the first round of voting with 47% of the vote, while his father's bloc won numerous seats in Congress at the expense of centrist parties. Despite Bolsonaro's lead in polls following the first round, Lula has gained momentum through nationwide rallies and social media activity. The political divide between Lula and Bolsonarism has significantly impacted Brazilian politics, with centrist parties virtually disappearing.
While Bolsonaro has moderated his stance on fiscal policy and social programs, Lula remains vulnerable due to his son's involvement in a corruption scandal. However, Lula's recent promise to shorten workweek hours has bolstered his campaign. Both candidates are set to face off in the final televised debate before the runoff election on October 25.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
