Voters Head to the Polls in Brazil

Approximately 159 million voters in Brazil went to the polls at 08:00 local time. As a result of the voting process, which will end at 17.00 local time, voters will determine the new president.

In the presidential race, the current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the candidate of the right, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, stand out.

Voting is also held in 26 states and the Federal District to elect governors and lieutenant governors, as well as all 513 members of the House of Representatives, two-thirds of the Senate and members of the state assembly.

According to Brazilian law, a presidential candidate must receive more than 50 percent of the valid votes to win the election in the first round. If this is not exceeded, the two candidates who receive the most votes will compete in the second round on October 25.

Lula da Silva is preparing to run for the presidency for the 7th time after ruling the country for two terms in 2003-2010 and being re-elected as president in 2023.

Former union leader Lula da Silva has often said in recent months, "I have the same energy I had when I was 30," in an attempt to clear up questions about his health. He uses the expression.

According to the national press, Lula da Silva is entering the election race at a time when the economy is slowing down.

While gross domestic product growth is expected to be approximately 2 percent this year; The government lists the decline in the unemployment rate and the progress made in the fight against poverty as among the prominent topics of the election campaign.

According to Datafolha's survey, Lula's vote rate in the possible second round was measured as 48 percent and Flavio Bolsonaro's at 43 percent.