Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, has won the first round of Brazil's presidential election, surprising observers who had predicted a close race. Mr Bolsonaro secured 56.1 million votes, surpassing the 53.8 million votes received by the 80-year-old incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Workers' Party.
Despite his victory, Mr Bolsonaro did not achieve an outright majority, necessitating a second round of voting later this month. Analysts suggest that President Lula now faces an unprecedented challenge, as no candidate trailing after the first round has ever managed to win the second round in Brazilian history.
Mr Bolsonaro's campaign focused on issues such as rising crime rates and criticism of the Brazilian Supreme Court, including its conviction of his father for an attempted coup d'état in 2023. Voter dissatisfaction with Lula's government, despite a strong economy with low unemployment and high average income, may also have contributed to Mr Bolsonaro's success.
Beyond the presidential race, the Liberal Party, led by the Bolsonaro family, saw its representation in the Senate increase from 15 to 28 seats. Both the former president's wife, Michelle, and another son, Carlos, were elected to the Senate.