In the first round of the presidential elections in Brazil, neither candidate managed to secure an absolute majority. Flavio Bolsonaro, the right-wing senator and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, garnered approximately 47 percent of the votes, while incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva achieved about 45 percent. Because neither candidate reached the necessary majority, a runoff election is scheduled for October 25.
Following the election, Bolsonaro reacted optimistically, interpreting the result as a sign of political transformation in Brazil. He declared that the era of Lula’s PT Worker’s Party has come to an end. Lula, conversely, acknowledged that he had counted on winning the first round and announced plans to launch a new campaign to secure victory in the runoff.
