World

Brazilians vote in pivotal presidential election dominated by Lula and Bolsonaro

Nearly 159 million voters head to the polls as incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva faces challenger Flávio Bolsonaro, with a runoff scheduled for October 25 if no candidate secures a majority

By Associated Press Published: 2026-10-04T16:29:00+04:00 1 min read
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, and Vice President Geraldo Alckmin display a Brazilian flag before voting in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. AP
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, and Vice President Geraldo Alckmin display a Brazilian flag before voting in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. AP

Brasilia: Brazilians began voting on Sunday in a closely watched presidential election dominated by incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his main challenger, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.

Pre-election polls suggested both candidates had a chance of winning outright. If neither secures a majority of votes, a runoff election will be held on October 25.

Nearly 159 million Brazilians are eligible to vote in Latin America's largest economy.

Flávio Bolsonaro is an ally of US President Donald Trump and the son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who was defeated by Lula in the previous election four years ago.

In addition to choosing the country's next president, voters are also electing 27 state governors, members of state legislatures, all 513 members of the lower house of Congress, and 54 of Brazil's 81 senators.

The election is being closely watched as Brazil decides its political direction for the coming years in a contest between two candidates representing sharply contrasting political visions.