Flavio Bolsonaro outperforms polls, advances to Brazil presidential runoff against Lula
Right-wing challenger secures 47.45% of first-round votes as President Lula takes 44.66%, setting up October 25 runoff
SAO PAULO: Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the runoff of the presidential election, the country's electoral authority said on Sunday.
With just over 97 per cent of ballots counted, the right-wing challenger secured 47.45 per cent of valid votes in the first round, outperforming forecasts in most private opinion polls. Lula received 44.66 per cent of the vote.
The two leading candidates will advance to a second round of voting on October 25, after emerging ahead of a field of 12 candidates in a campaign focused on concerns over the rising cost of living, corruption and public security.
The runoff will determine Brazil’s next president following a closely contested first round.