A run-off election on October 25 will decide who comes out on top between incumbent president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his challenger Flávio Bolsonaro after a tight first-round ballot in the 2026 Brazilian election last Sunday.
Flávio, the eldest son of imprisoned former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, clinched 47 per cent of Brazilian votes, with Lula not far behind on 45 per cent of the electoral support.
Though Flávio narrowly missed the 50 per cent threshold to secure the presidency, the first round was a successful return to politics for the Bolsonaro family after facing a slew of coup and corruption allegations.
Bolsonaros win big
The first round played right into the Bolsonaros’ favour as the Liberal Party became the biggest winner in the Brazilian Senate.
The party won 19 of the 54 contested Senate seats, theoretically giving the Liberals 28 lawmakers out of the 81 to support Bolsonaro should he emerge victorious.
Michelle Bolsonaro, Jair’s wife, grabbed nearly 29 per cent of the votes to become the Senate representative of Brasilia’s Federal District, making her the most-voted candidate in the election.
Carlos Bolsonaro also won a Senate seat for Santa Catarina state, while Jair Renan was elected a federal deputy in the same state.
If Flávio triumphs on October 25, Brazil will be the latest country to swing to the right after four years of leftist leadership under Lula.
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Lula eyes comeback
Lula admitted that Bolsonaro attracting 56 million votes, compared to his 53 million, defied his expectations after polls showed him holding the upper hand.
The 81-year-old leftist leader warned that the election was a struggle between democracy and “barbarism”, adding that Brazil’s sovereignty is at stake amid pressure from the United States.
“I admit I was convinced I would win in the first round. The game is about to start. In extra time, we will win over the Brazilian people,” said Lula in an interview reported on by Agence France-Presse.
Despite his popularity plummeting due to the rising cost of living and other issues, Lula retained his solid electoral base, particularly in northeast Brazil, preventing a major defeat.
Workers’ Party president Edinho Silva said Lula has three weeks to turn the tide by calling on Brazilians to reflect on their choices.
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Eugene Nicklaus S. Laqui 
Levi Mora 
Wendellyn Mateo