Lula and Bolsonaro Head to Runoff
Brazil’s presidential election is heading to a runoff. This became clear after neither incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva nor challenger Flávio Bolsonaro secured more than 50 percent of the vote.
Most indicators beforehand had already suggested a second round of voting between the two main candidates. Opinion polls had shown a tight race between leftist veteran Lula (Workers' Party, PT) and right-wing candidate Bolsonaro (Liberal Party, PL).
With 99.99 percent of the votes counted, analysts confirmed their predictions were correct.
Bolsonaro—son of the imprisoned former president Jair Bolsonaro—won the first round with 47.0 percent of the vote, while Lula received 45.2 percent.
"Brazil wants change; that is how we can interpret what happened today," Bolsonaro said outside his home in Brasília.
Speaking at his election night gathering, Lula described the result as "unexpected."
"In the long run, we will win over the Brazilian people," Lula said.
None of the other candidates played a significant role in the outcome. The closest contender was Augusto Cury of the centrist party Avante, with 2.9 percent.
The presidential election is viewed as a pivotal moment for Brazil. Will Lula succeed in the feat of being elected president for a fourth term and withstand the right-wing tide sweeping across Latin America? Or will Bolsonaro clinch the victory, and Brazil follow the trend?
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