About 159 million Brazilians are eligible to vote in general elections that include a presidential contest. The main race is between incumbent left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro.
Neither leading candidate is expected to secure the absolute majority required to win in the first round. If that happens, Lula and Bolsonaro will likely face each other in a runoff on October 25.
Their campaigns focused on crime, the role of the state, the independence of the Supreme Court and relations with the United States. Flavio Bolsonaro, the Liberal Party candidate, is proposing to reduce state services and adopt a tougher policy on crime.
Lula, who represents the Workers’ Party, wants to continue his government’s social programs and public investment while maintaining the state’s significant role. He returned to the presidency in 2023 and is now seeking a fourth term. He previously served as head of state for two consecutive terms between 2003 and 2010.
Flavio Bolsonaro has been a senator since 2019 and is running for president for the first time. His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, narrowly lost to Lula in the 2022 election.
The Supreme Court later sentenced Jair Bolsonaro to more than 27 years in prison for attempting a coup after his electoral defeat. Because of health problems, he is currently serving his sentence under house arrest.
A total of 12 candidates are running for president. They include governors Ronaldo Caiado and Romeu Zema, as well as psychiatrist and writer Augusto Cury. Opinion polls show that the other candidates are trailing the two frontrunners by a wide margin.
Voters are also choosing a vice president, two-thirds of the 81-seat Senate and all 513 members of the Chamber of Deputies. They are additionally electing governors in the 26 states and the Federal District, along with members of local legislative bodies.
Voting in Brazil is compulsory. The first preliminary results are expected after polling stations close.
Source: bta.bg/bg
|
4701 | 4 Oct. 2026 | 09:17
Mobile verison
RSS
