Bolsonaro's son takes first-round lead as Brazil election heads to runoff
Flávio Bolsonaro, son of disgraced former president Jair Bolsonaro, beat incumbent leftist Lula da Silva in the first round but fell short of a majority, sending Brazil's presidential race to an October 25 runoff.
Brazil's presidential election is headed to a second round after far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro took the lead in the first round, beating incumbent leftwing president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva but failing to secure the outright majority needed to win outright.
The 45-year-old son of disgraced former president Jair Bolsonaro will enter the runoff, set for 25 October, as the strong favourite. He is expected to pick up support from other rightwing candidates who were eliminated in the first round, including Ronaldo Caiado, who won 2.1% of the vote, and Renan Santos, who took 2.2%.
Bolsonarista politicians make gains across Brazil
Brazil's far right performed even more strongly than expected in down-ballot races, with a string of Bolsonaro-aligned politicians winning seats in congress or governorships. Among them were Jair Bolsonaro's second son, Carlos Bolsonaro, and his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, both of whom won seats in the senate. Jair Bolsonaro's youngest son, Jair Renan Bolsonaro, was elected to the lower house of congress.
The combined results point to a broader consolidation of Bolsonarista influence across Brazilian politics, even as Jair Bolsonaro himself remains disgraced. The runoff on 25 October will determine whether that momentum carries through to the presidency.
