Flávio Bolsonaro has secured a significant lead in Brazil's presidential election, surpassing the incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Flávio Bolsonaro is in pole position to win Brazil’s presidential election, after a far-right tsunami propelled him to a shock first-round victory over the incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, leaving progressive voters reeling. The 45-year-old rightwing candidate received 56.1m votes to Lula’s 53.8m – 47.03% to 45.16% – meaning the 80-year-old leftwinger has a mountain to climb if he is to bounce back in the second round on 25 October. Never, since the return of democracy to Brazil in 1985, has the first-round runner-up managed to turn the game around and win the second ballot. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/05/flavio-bolsonaro-brazilian-presidency-election-shock-first-round-victory?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

It’s a shame Brazil doesn’t have a US style two-term limit, some fresh blood might have been worth a couple % at least. — ‘Flávio Bolsonaro is in pole position to win Brazil’s presidential election, after a far-right tsunami propelled him to a shock first-round victory over the incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, leaving progressive voters reeling. The 45-year-old rightwing candidate received 56.1m votes to Lula’s 53.8m – 47.03% to 45.16% – meaning the 80-year-old leftwinger has a mountain to climb if he is to bounce back in the second round on 25 October. Never, since the return of democracy to Brazil in 1985, has the first-round runner-up managed to turn the game around and win the second ballot.’ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/05/flavio-bolsonaro-brazilian-presidency-election-shock-first-round-victory