Oct 5, 2026 | Brazil's presidential election is headed to a runoff between leftist incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and far-right Senator Flávio Bolsonaro after neither candidate cleared 50% in Sunday's vote, in which the right made gains in Congress and in governor races across the country. Bolsonaro received 47% of the vote compared to Lula's 45%. The second round of voting is on October 25. If elected, Flávio Bolsonaro has vowed to grant amnesty to his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest and serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup in 2022 to overturn Lula's last victory. He has also vowed to strengthen ties to the Trump administration, which is accused of trying to influence the result in Bolsonaro's favor.
