Flávio Bolsonaro Ahead of Lula in First Round of Brazil Presidential Election

Challenger Flávio Bolsonaro led incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva by about 1.8 percentage points in Brazil's first round of presidential voting on October 5, 2026.

With neither candidate securing 50% of the vote, the election moves to a second-round runoff scheduled for October 25, 2026.

The Bolsonaros' Liberal Party also made significant gains in Congress and state governorships, riding on strong evangelical support and anti-PT sentiment.