Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro face runoff in Brazil's 2026 presidential election
Incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro will contest a second-round vote after no candidate secured a majority in the first round on 4 October.
Incumbent leftwing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, will meet in a runoff after the first round of Brazil's presidential election failed to produce a candidate with over 50% of the vote. The first round, held on 4 October, saw Bolsonaro lead with a narrow margin in Minas Gerais, winning 48.43% to Lula's 43.33%, while the nationwide result required a second round under Brazil's majority-vote system.
Lula, who previously served two terms from 2003 to 2010 and returned to office in 2023, is 81 years old. Bolsonaro, a 45-year-old lawyer and former senator from Rio, is campaigning with the endorsement of his father, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for a failed coup attempt.
The runoff will determine whether Lula can secure a new term or if Bolsonaro can become the first first-round runner-up since 1985 to overturn the initial result. Voter turnout and final counts are expected later on Sunday.