Stories
Brazil Election Upset: Bolsonaro's Son Overtakes Lula; Will Trump's Ally Return?
- •Brazil's presidential election narrows to a runoff between Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro, as neither secured over 50% in the first round.
- •With 97% of votes counted, right-wing leader Flávio Bolsonaro led with 47.45%, while Lula received 44.66%.
- •The race pits 80-year-old Lula, vying for his fourth presidency, against 45-year-old Flávio Bolsonaro, who seeks to continue his father Jair Bolsonaro's right-wing legacy.
- •Brazil's presidential election uses a two-round system; if no candidate wins an outright majority, a second round is held between the top two.
- •Flávio Bolsonaro, eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, has been active in Brazilian politics for nearly two decades, focusing on security and crime policies.
Key Questions Answered
Brazil uses a two-round system for its presidential elections. If no candidate secures more than 50 percent of the valid votes in the first round, a runoff takes place between the top two candidates, and the winner of that second round becomes president for a four-year term.
The presidential race has narrowed down to incumbent leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who is the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Flávio Bolsonaro is a 45-year-old senator who studied law at Universidade Cândido Mendes and worked as a lawyer. He began his political journey in the Rio de Janeiro State Assembly, serving four consecutive terms as a state deputy starting in 2002 before being elected to the Senate in 2018.
