Brazilians are heading to the polls today for the first round of a presidential election. The contest features the leftwing incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is seeking a fourth non-consecutive term, and far-right Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
Flávio Bolsonaro is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup following his failed 2022 re-election bid. The outcome of the election is described as unpredictable, with both candidates having alternated as frontrunners in the final stages of the campaign.
If neither candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election will take place on 25 October. In addition to the presidency, voters will also elect 27 state governors, members of state legislatures, all 513 federal congress members, and 54 of the country’s 81 senators.