Flávio Bolsonaro leads Lula into Brazil runoff as right surges
publishers 23articles 26first reported 5 Oct, 07:11 UTCdeveloping since 5 Oct · 27 editions
Right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro finished first in Brazil’s presidential election on Sunday, taking 47.03% of valid votes to 45.16% for leftist incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, according to official results reported by The Rio Times. Neither secured an absolute majority, sending the race to an October 25 runoff.
The outcome reversed polling that had placed Lula about three percentage points ahead. Defeated conservative rivals Ronaldo Caiado and Romeu Zema endorsed Bolsonaro for the second round. Political scientist Carlos Pereira told Al Jazeera that some voters who initially favored smaller right-wing candidates may have consolidated behind Bolsonaro late in an effort to defeat Lula. Pereira also cited economic frustration and fallout from an alleged banking fraud scandal as possible factors.
Bolsonaro’s allies also made gains in congressional contests. The Guardian reported that several members of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s family won office, including his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, and sons Carlos and Jair Renan, while his brother Renato Bolsonaro was elected to Congress. Jair Bolsonaro remains under house arrest after being convicted of attempting to overturn the 2022 election result.
Brazilian markets rallied after the vote. The Bovespa index climbed 7.7% on Monday to a record closing high of 206,911.89, while the currency strengthened about 4.1% against the dollar. Investors also responded to gains by Bolsonaro-aligned congressional candidates and expectations of a more business-friendly fiscal agenda.
U.S. President Donald Trump called the first-round result a “very, very big victory” and predicted a close runoff.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 4 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 36 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- Source articles
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- Given to the writer
- 8, 4 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 36 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
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WHAT THE EDITOR DID
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