Polls close in Brazil's general election as Lula and Bolsonaro face tight presidential race
Quick Look
- Polls closed in Brazil's general election after voters queued in long lines for a tight first round of the presidential race.
- Incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 80, warned the choice was between democracy and 'barbarism', while challenger Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, said he wanted to 'free the Brazilian people'.
- Results are expected within hours due to electronic voting, with a runoff possible if no candidate exceeds 50% of the vote.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Brazil's general election is underway with polls closed after voters queued in long lines. The race is tight between incumbent left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro.
Polls have closed in Brazil's general election, after voters queued in long lines for a tight first round of the presidential race.
After casting his ballot, 80-year-old left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned that the choice was between democracy and "barbarism".
His challenger, right-winger Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, said he wanted to "free the Brazilian people".
The result is forecast to be close. BBC Brazil's poll aggregator shows that the gap between Lula and Bolsonaro is only two points. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the election will go to a run-off on 25 October.
According to Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE), more than 158.7 million Brazilians, including one million people abroad, are eligible to vote in the election.
Lula is challenged by 11 candidates, although BBC Brazil's poll aggregator shows that candidates other than Lula and Bolsonaro will get only about 10% of the vote.
The TSE has not set a fixed time for the release of the official results, but they are expected within hours because voting is electronic and experience from previous elections shows that results tend to come quickly.
A victory for Bolsonaro would extend a wave of wins across Latin America by right-wing candidates aligned with US President Donald Trump, while Lula's re-election would create problems for Washington, which has clashed with his government over trade and security.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the election will go to a runoff on 25 October.
Possible · Within weeks
Official results are expected within hours due to electronic voting.
Very likely · Within hours
Open Questions
- What percentage of votes did each candidate receive?
- Will a runoff be necessary on 25 October?
- How will the outcome affect Brazil's relations with the United States?
