The Brazil election is heading to a second round after Flávio Bolsonaro finished ahead of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Sunday’s presidential vote, according to results released by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court.
With 98.69 per cent of the vote counted, Bolsonaro had 47.26 per cent of valid ballots and Lula had 44.89 per cent.
Neither candidate reached the majority required to win the presidency outright.
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Brazil election results send rivals to October runoff
The second-round vote is scheduled for October 25, 2026.
Brazil’s electoral calendar sets that date for presidential runoffs where no candidate wins the required majority in the first round.
The result creates a direct contest between two of Brazil’s most recognizable political figures.
Lula, 80, is seeking a fourth non-consecutive term, while Bolsonaro, 45, is making his first presidential bid and carrying the political name of his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro.
The elder Bolsonaro was barred from running in the 2026 election, leaving his son to lead the Liberal Party’s presidential campaign.
Flávio Bolsonaro’s first-round performance now gives the broader Bolsonaro movement a clear path back to the presidency.
How the first round unfolded
Brazil’s first-round ballot included 12 presidential candidates, but the campaign was dominated by the contest between Bolsonaro and Lula.
Other candidates remained well behind the two front-runners.
Escritor Augusto Cury placed third with about 2.9 per cent, followed by Renan Santos and Ronaldo Caiado, according to the vote totals available during the final stages of counting.
Because the leading candidates finished within a few percentage points of one another, the second round is expected to focus heavily on voters who backed eliminated candidates, as well as those who did not vote for either front-runner in the first round.
What happens before October 25
The next three weeks will bring a renewed campaign between the two finalists, with both sides seeking alliances and attempting to broaden their appeal beyond their core supporters.
Bolsonaro enters the runoff with a first-round lead, but the result does not guarantee victory.
Lula’s campaign can point to the narrow gap and will likely seek to consolidate support among voters who oppose a return of the Bolsonaro family to the presidency.
The candidates will also face pressure to define their positions on Brazil’s economy, public security, social programs, democratic institutions and the country’s foreign policy.
Brazil’s electoral authorities have made the official results available through the TSE’s results platform and mobile application, allowing voters to follow the continuing totalization process.
A closely divided political landscape
The first-round numbers show that Brazil remains deeply divided between Lula’s left-wing Workers’ Party coalition and the conservative movement associated with the Bolsonaro family.
The runoff will be the decisive vote.
The candidate who wins on October 25 will take office on January 5, 2027, under the electoral calendar published by the Superior Electoral Court.
For Canadian readers, the result matters beyond Brazil’s borders because the country is Latin America’s largest economy and a major agricultural, mining and diplomatic power.
The next president will help shape Brazil’s trade relationships, climate policy and regional role.
CTCNews.ca previously reported on the first-round contest between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro as voters went to the polls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who led the first round of Brazil’s 2026 presidential election?
Flávio Bolsonaro led President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the results released with 98.69 per cent of the vote counted, receiving 47.26 per cent compared with Lula’s 44.89 per cent.
Did Flávio Bolsonaro win the Brazil election outright?
No. Neither candidate reached the majority required to win in the first round, so Brazil will hold a presidential runoff.
When is Brazil’s presidential runoff?
The second round is scheduled for October 25, 2026.
Who is Flávio Bolsonaro?
Flávio Bolsonaro is a senator and the son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. He is representing the Liberal Party in the presidential race.
When will Brazil’s next president take office?
The president elected in the 2026 vote is scheduled to take office on January 5, 2027.
Fact-Checked: Key vote totals, the runoff date and the electoral timetable were checked against Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court and its published election results information. ([tse.jus.br](https://www.tse.jus.br/eleicoes/eleicoes-2026-content/divulgacao-dos-resultados-das-eleicoes-2026?utm_source=openai))
Disclaimer: Vote totals may be updated by Brazil’s electoral authorities as the remaining ballots are officially processed.