Brazil’s presidential election has been thrown into a second round after the far-right challenger, son of the former president, secured just under half the vote, forcing a runoff against the incumbent left-wing leader. With nearly all ballots counted, the candidate trailed by less than a percentage point, drawing strong support despite his family’s controversial political legacy. The outcome defied expectations, as the incumbent described the result as surprising, setting the stage for a decisive October showdown. The race now hinges on whether either candidate can consolidate enough backing to claim victory in the final round.
Far-right challenger and son of disgraced ex-president Jair Bolsonaro put in a stronger than expected showing, with Lula calling the result ‘unexpected’Brazil’s presidential race will go to a second round after the far-right candidate, Flávio Bolsonaro, beat the incumbent leftwing president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, but failed to secure the outright majority he needed to avoid a runoff.With 99.9% of votes counted, the 45-year-old son of the disgraced former president, Jair Bolsonaro, had won 47%, meaning he will now face a 25 October showdown with his 80-year-old rival. Lula received 45.1%. Bolsonaro received 56.1m votes to Lula’s 53.8m. Continue reading...
