Lula or Bolsonaro: Brazil before the runoff election

Brazil runoff election in a polarized country As of: October 25, 2026 • 5:07 a.m

Lula or Bolsonaro - both presidential candidates are neck and neck before the runoff election in Brazil. The country is deeply divided. The undecided could become a decisive factor.

Luis dos Santos set up his stand in the "Square of the Three Powers" in Brasilia. He sells symbols of democracy - a replica of Oscar Niemeyer's congress building, the presidential palace and tin figures of the presidents: Jair Bolsonaro, Lula da Silva, and candidate Flávio Bolsonaro is already on offer - who sells better? He hasn't sold a single figure of Flávio yet, says the man with a suntanned face, "but I sell a lot of his father!"

The name remains Flávio Bolsonaro's greatest political asset, but it is also his greatest weakness. His father Jair is convicted of an attempted coup. The eldest son wants to inherit and pardon him. In the first round of voting, he won two percentage points more than the left-wing incumbent Lula da Silva and is now the favorite in the runoff election. The latest polls from Saturday put Bolsonaro just ahead of Lula, everything points to a very close race.

In the last few meters, the opponents bombard each other with accusations. "Lula, crime in Brazil has exploded under you. Can you explain why 73 percent of the prison inmates voted for you?" Flávio Bolsonaro accused his opponent during the first TV debate a week ago. "I want 100 percent to vote for me. Your father too!" countered Lula, after all he knows Flávio well: "He knows that I'm better."

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

Provocations instead of content, even if the tone of the second TV debate on Friday was less aggressive: It was an election campaign that was focused on each other's personal weaknesses, says political scientist Jairo Nicolau from the Getulio Vargas Foundation. Also because neither candidate really gets the voters involved. Vote against - not for.

Lula, who is almost 81 years old, is portrayed as someone who is too old for office. A large part of Brazil is also tired of Lula and his profile. On the other hand, Flávio is described as completely unqualified and inexperienced, whose career depends solely on the fact that he is the son of Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazil is faced with a choice of direction: the left-wing Lula stands for social programs, the protection of the rainforest, and relies on multilateralism. Bolsonaro promises less government, less taxes, a tough hand on drug gangs and is seeking solidarity with US President Donald Trump.

Of all people, the former workers' president Lula has lost votes among the "modern" workers. Lula and the Workers' Party have lost a lot of credibility here, says 21-year-old Cauã Santos Souza, who works as a bicycle courier. "There are the allegations of corruption - the schools and the health system, that's just not good, endless waiting times." Above all, he is angry about Lula's many social programs, which are pure populism: "Because there are many people who say: 'Why should I go to work when I can collect state social benefits.'"

The program of the left-wing Workers' Party has long since been exposed by Bolsonaro, Lizzie Morera also said at Rio's Copacabana: "They've been promising things for ages, but never keep anything. That's pure populism!" Flávio, on the other hand, has good ideas. "And if he doesn't implement them, then we'll just vote him out again."

Bernardo Furtado, on the other hand, believes that Flávio has never achieved anything real for Brazil. "Lula, on the other hand, can point to a track record of social programs and a number of improvements for the population," although some of the elites dislike this. In addition, a historic labor market reform has just been passed by Congress, which abolishes the existing six-day week.

But almost 40 million of Brazil's 158 million eligible voters either did not cast a vote at all or cast an invalid vote in the first round. It's people like Cleber Ventura who are fed up with the polarization in the country and want new ideas: "I don't actually want to vote for either of them, but I'll probably have to. I think it's all very bad, there are so many allegations, allegations of corruption on both sides." And then there is also a lot of fake news on social media. "I hardly have any confidence anymore."

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

Both candidates tried to win over voters like him in the last few meters. At the same time, complaints in court about deliberately launched false reports are increasing. Lula's team accused the US tech company Meta of unequal treatment. Both candidates requested the exclusion of the other.

Meanwhile, Lula's camp, which lagged behind the right in terms of social media campaigning, has launched an enormous digital mobilization. Flávio's camp is increasingly taking to the streets, where the left is stronger. Students in particular, but also workers, artists and LGBTQ movements are mobilizing for President Lula in Brazil's inner cities.

There are now also unusual supporters there. On Thursday, a video went viral of former lawmaker and journalist Joice Hasselmann, a one-time Bolsonaro ally known for her vehement opposition to the left-wing Workers' Party. She declared that she would vote for Lula this time. "The two sides are not the same. One represents ideas that I have been fighting for decades - but within the framework of democratic rules." She describes the Bolsonaros as a "family clan" that has criminal connections and stands for "hatred, lies, violence and theft."

Head-to-head race in the runoff election for the presidency in Brazil Surveys show an extremely divided country. Both camps are exactly the same - at least if you believe the polls. In the first round of voting they saw Lula in the lead, in the end Flávio led by two percentage points.

Back in Brasília. Luis dos Santos had also set up his souvenir stand on January 8, 2023, when an excited mob of around 4,000 Bolsonaro supporters stormed the government district and rioted, believing that they had been cheated out of the election victory. The street vendor says worriedly that he doesn't want to experience that again.

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This topic in the program: NDR Info | News | Oct 22, 2026 | 10:37 a.m.   tagesschau.de | Lula or Bolsonaro - Runoff election in a polarized country | Oct 24, 2026 | 1:31 p.m