Unpacking the results of Brazil’s heated presidential election
Brazil's former President and presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva greets supporters after casting his vote during the presidential election, in Sao Bernardo do Campo, on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, Brazil October 2, 2022. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
The first round of voting in Brazil’s presidential election has failed to yield an outright winner, leading to a runoff on October 30.
Leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, popularly known as Lula, went into election day on Sunday as the projected frontrunner, with recent opinion polls giving him a commanding lead over far-right President Jair Bolsonaro – and even a first-round victory.
Lula, a former president credited with building an extensive social welfare programme during his eight-year tenure starting in 2003, obtained 48.4 percent of valid votes, falling short of the overall majority he needed to avoid a run-off.
For his part, Bolsonaro got 43.2 percent, according to Brazil’s electoral authority, significantly outperforming pollsters’ predictions that saw him at a 14-points disadvantage.
