From the Guardian · · 3m
Brazil votes in tight runoff between Lula and Bolsonaro's son
Leftist incumbent Lula faces far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a virtually tied race after losing the first round by less than 2 percent.
In brief
Leftist incumbent Lula faces far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a virtually tied race after losing the first round by less than 2 percent. Brazilians voted Sunday in a runoff between leftist president Lula and far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of a convicted ex-president, with the race expected to be decided…
Lula seeks unprecedented comeback
Leftist president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is attempting an unprecedented comeback against far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who won the first-round vote in Brazil's runoff.
First-round gap was narrowest ever
Bolsonaro's surprise victory came despite not leading most polls. The gap between him and Lula was the narrowest ever recorded in a first round, at less than two percent.
Bolsonaro is son of convicted ex-president
The forty-five-year-old senator is the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest serving a twenty-seven-year sentence for attempting a coup to overturn his twenty twenty-two defeat to Lula.
Lula focuses on turnout and fears
The eighty-year-old president has spent the runoff campaign focused on turnout, as abstention reached a record high in the first round and disproportionately affects his voters.
Bolsonaro promises pardon for his father
The senator has promised that if elected he will pardon his father. With an even more conservative congress taking office next year, he has vowed to change the constitution and re-democratise the country.
Bolsonaro stalled despite early lead
Bolsonaro began the runoff campaign with a lead and support of most other defeated candidates, but instead of growing, he stagnated in the polls.Many analysts attributed this to fears of a Bolsonaro returning to power.
Lula's campaign gained ground late
Lula radically changed his digital strategy and benefited from student-led protests across the country, most of which did not even involve the president. Civil society movements drove his growth in the runoff.
Violence marks final campaign days
In northern Minas Gerais state, councillor Iara Pimentel from Lula's party suffered facial injuries and was hospitalised after her motorcade was hit by glass bottles and bricks thrown by Bolsonaro supporters.
Race expected to be decided narrowly
The result is expected late Sunday evening. Whatever the outcome, the race is expected to be decided by a narrow margin in Latin America's largest country, with an electorate of one hundred fifty-nine million.
Bolsonaro could refuse to concede
Many analysts believe that if Lula overturns his first-round defeat, Bolsonaro could follow his father's example from four years ago and refuse to concede.
Here's the gist
Brazilians voted Sunday in a runoff between leftist president Lula and far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of a convicted ex-president, with the race expected to be decided by a narrow margin.
