Brazil before the runoff election: The power of influencers

Brazil before the runoff election The power of influencers As of: October 24, 2026 • 6:13 a.m

Who controls social networks? This question could be decisive for the election in Brazil. In the digital election campaign, Bolsonaro can count on the country's most successful influencer - but the left has also learned.

They are young, left-wing and have a clear mission - they want to make up for Lula da Silva's deficit against Flávio Bolsonaro. On October 7, two days after the first round of Brazil's presidential election, a group of young and digitally active MPs from the left-wing Workers' Party will meet with the president in Brasilia.

On the same day, the "Exercito do Lula", or "Lula's Army", was founded under the leadership of MP André Janones. They mobilize digital flash mobs, set hashtags and trends, turn supporters into multipliers - a frontal attack on the algorithm.

"Guys! Did you just notice? Write 'soldier' ​​in the comments here, as soon as you get the link, join, follow us, the opposition is already desperate because the group is growing and growing. When we reach five million, Lula will get a cell phone and join the group himself."

President Lula doesn't own a cell phone and his first selfie was taken during the election campaign.

By Friday there were already more than 9.5 million. But the fact that the soon-to-be 81-year-old Lula doesn't have a personal cell phone was no joke - and that exactly illustrates a central problem for the left in the election campaign.

While Flávio Bolsonaro regularly posts videos, Lula took his very first selfie at the beginning of October. And in contrast to the other side, there are only a few figures in the Workers' Party with a large digital reach.

One of them is Ana Elisa, 21 years old, five million followers, she has just been elected Brazil's youngest representative. "The right understood much quicker than the left that today's election campaign has to take place on the streets and online at the same time," she says. "Go to a bus stop at five o'clock and tell me who doesn't look at their cell phone."

In her videos, she takes part in the everyday life of voters, enters into dialogue and shows her own reality - that of a black woman who was able to study thanks to social programs: "We have to regain the narrative for left-wing ideas," she explains.

A few days before the runoff elections in Brazil, the election campaign is becoming increasingly bitter. more

Brazilians are among the most active social media users in the world, and networks are becoming the primary source of information for more and more people - and not the profiles of the classic media, but sites that spread gossip, humor or VIP news.

"The right has understood the logic of social networks much more quickly - which formats go viral, short videos, vertical, clips, and which types of content work: namely those based on chaos, controversy, absurdity, negativity, moments of shock or a strong emotional impact," says communication scientist Carolina Terra from Sao Paulo State University. At the same time, users' mistrust is increasing due to years of experience with fake news and polarization.

This is exactly what strengthens the role of influencers. With their direct approach and the distribution of videos via WhatsApp groups, they are often perceived as familiar people who are more likely to be believed. “And recently we have also seen that it is possible to push through our own candidates using this logic.”

He was the person who understood this best early on: Nikolas Ferreira from the state of Minas Gerais:

Ferreira has almost 25 million followers, was elected MP in 2022 with the most votes of any candidate and doubled his result in the 2026 general election. In his wake, another 21 candidates he supported were elected. Today he is the digital driving force of Bolsonaro's campaign and mobilizes the "Tropa do Flávio", the digital support network with two million followers and the street campaign - a kind of Bolsonaro parade, with a party in Brazilian colors, with Baile Funk against the left.

Lula's opponent Bolsonaro is regularly active on social media - will that perhaps make the decisive difference in the runoff election?

Social networks have become the central battlefield for voters' favor, with both camps relying on fake news and artificial intelligence. Brazil, which has strict rules against fraud and the use of AI in election campaigns, has also become a real-time laboratory for the use of artificial intelligence - and the authorities' ability to set limits on it and the influence of large tech companies.

The country has strict rules against fraud and the use of AI. So-called deepfakes are banned in election campaigns; AI-generated videos must be clearly labeled. The regulations also require digital platforms to promptly remove posts from ordinary users that spread election lies, attack democratic institutions or otherwise violate Brazilian law.

The counts point to a runoff election between Bolsonaro and Lula. more

Nevertheless, a legal dispute over the “Exercito do Lula” is currently raging. Coordinated political mobilization, possible disinformation and the question of where legitimate election advertising ends are controversial. The Bolsonaro camp had to withdraw a video in which an AI version of Jair Bolsonaro advertises his son, even though the real ex-president is prohibited from making such appearances.

And US tech company Meta was ordered by Brazil's electoral court to treat Lula and Bolsonaro equally after Lula's team accused the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp of algorithmic manipulation. The result among voters is often not more engagement, but rather less interest and political fatigue, says communication scientist Carolina Terra: "It causes great discomfort - it creates anxiety, fear, agony. This is not about a discussion of political proposals, but about a battle of narratives."

Before this runoff election, the aim for both candidates is to mobilize undecided and non-voters. Whether this will be successful will be seen on Sunday.

This topic in the program: NDR Info | News | Oct 22, 2026 | 10:37 a.m.   tagesschau.de | Brazil: Likes for power - political influencers in the election campaign | Oct 22, 2026 | 1:51 p.m