# Brazil’s Far-Right Resurgence

> Brazil’s far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro edges out Lula in runoff election amid voter backlash.
- Title: Brazil’s Far-Right Resurgence · Foreign Policy | Shortify
- Summary: Brazil’s far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro edges out Lula in runoff election amid voter backlash.
- Keywords: brazil, flávio bolsonaro, lula, presidential election, liberal party, bolsonarismo, governorships, election runoff, right-wing, brazilian politics, democracy, elections
- Source: Foreign Policy — https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/10/09/brazil-election-far-right-bolsonaro-lula-crime-economy
- Author: Catherine Osborn
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: brazil, flávio bolsonaro, lula, presidential election, liberal party, bolsonarismo, governorships, election runoff, right-wing, brazilian politics, democracy, elections
## Brazil’s Far-Right Resurgence
Brazil’s general elections last Sunday unleashed a right-wing wave at the polls.
## Bolsonaro Beats Lula in First Round
Flávio Bolsonaro earned 47.03 percent to Lula’s 45.16 percent in the first-round presidential race.
## Runoff Election Scheduled
Bolsonaro and Lula will face off in an Oct. 25 runoff presidential election.
## Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party Gains
The Liberal Party won the most governorships and grew its numbers in both houses of congress.
## Historic Election Pattern
No presidential candidate since Brazil’s redemocratization in the 1980s has won a runoff after losing the first round.
## Bolsonarismo Movement
Brazilian journalist Bernardo Mello Franco called bolsonarismo a movement with deep roots in Brazilian society.
## Lula Campaign Struggles
Lula admitted his campaign was the least organized since 1989 and reaped what he sowed.
## Lula’s Messaging Shift
Lula debuted a tough-on-crime slogan: 'For working people, protection; for criminals, jail.'
## Voter Rejection of Lula
Lula performed worse among lower-middle-class Brazilians than among the richest.
## Lower Middle Class Concerns
Lower middle class seeks less red tape, more protection from violence, and respect for religious beliefs.
## Lula’s Policy Shift
Lula now focuses on legislative efforts to outlaw standard work contracts allowing six-day workweeks.
## Bolsonaro’s Messaging
Bolsonaro continues to base his messaging around pro-change, pro-business, and pro-security ideas.
## OAS Escalates Pressure on Nicaragua
The Organization of American States announced eight changes it wants in Nicaragua, including releasing political prisoners.
## BTS Tour in South America
K-pop group BTS visited Bogotá for their first South American concert on Oct. 2.
## BTS Tour Impact
BTS’s tour visits more Latin American countries than Taylor Swift’s 2023-24 Eras Tour.
## K-pop in Latin America
Latin American fans remix K-pop culture with their own musical and political habits.
## Key takeaway

Brazil’s far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro won the first-round presidential election with 47.03% of votes against Lula’s 45.16%.