Arabic version: بولسونارو يقود انتخابات البرازيل إلى جولة إعادة رئاسية

According to BBC News, right-wing candidate Flávio Bolsonaro won the first round of Brazil’s presidential election but fell short of the majority needed for an outright victory. With 98.81% of votes counted, Bolsonaro had 47.24%, compared with 44.91% for incumbent left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The two candidates will face a run-off on 25 October. Bolsonaro’s result exceeded expectations after polling had put Lula slightly ahead during the campaign. Bolsonaro, 45, said he wanted to “free the Brazilian people”, while Lula, 80, described the choice as one between democracy and “barbarism”.

Bolsonaro is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for masterminding a failed coup attempt following his defeat in the previous election. Jair Bolsonaro had been barred from seeking re-election and endorsed Flávio to run in his place. His wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, was elected to the Senate.

The Liberal Party also had the most governors, senators and federal deputies elected in results reported so far, putting it in a position to wield substantial influence in Congress. Flávio Bolsonaro has pledged to grant amnesty to his father and supporters responsible for the 8 January 2023 riots if elected.

The campaign has focused on sovereignty, crime, the economy and corruption. Lula is seeking a fourth term and draws stronger support in the poorer northeast, among low-income voters, Catholics and women. Bolsonaro has greater support in the south, among wealthier voters and evangelical Christians. The run-off will determine whether Brazil, Latin America’s largest country and economy, elects a right-wing president aligned more closely with the United States.