What to know about Brazil's election pitting Lula against Flávio Bolsonaro
BBC News 2026-10-04 04:53:29
Context: Brazilians are voting in a general election, with two front-runners for the presidency: left-wing leader Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-winger Flávio Bolsonaro. Lula, who previously served as president from 2003 to 2010 and was re-elected in 2022, is being challenged by Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is barred from running due to a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup. The election is significant, with Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro polling around 40%, and a run-off election likely if no candidate gains 50% of valid votes.
Key Facts
- Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva, 80, has been president three times already, serving from 2003 to 2010, and was re-elected in 2022, beating Jair Bolsonaro by 1.8 percentage points.
- Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, is Jair Bolsonaro's eldest son and has been serving as a senator since 2019, running for the presidency under the right-wing Liberal Party (PL).
- Jair Bolsonaro, the former President, is barred from running for office and is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election to Lula.
- Almost 160 million Brazilians are eligible to vote in this election, with voting compulsory for those aged between 18 and 70 who are literate, and a fine imposed on those who do not cast a ballot.