Brazil presidential election 2026: first-round live results
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro will compete in a runoff election on October 25 after neither candidate secured a first-round victory on October 4. Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of Jair Bolsonaro, outperformed polling expectations to secure his spot in the final round. The race remains tight between the incumbent leftist president and the right-wing senator. Financial markets reacted positively to the first-round results, with Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan upgrading Brazilian equities to Overweight.
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- ✓ The first round of the Brazil presidential election took place on October 4, 2026.
- ✓ President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro will face each other in a runoff election on October 25.
- ✓ Flávio Bolsonaro is the eldest son of Jair Bolsonaro.
- ✓ Neither Lula nor Flávio Bolsonaro won the presidency in the first round of voting.
What changed
Flávio Bolsonaro outperformed polls in the first round to force a runoff against President Lula.
Live updates
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Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro to face runoff in Brazil presidential election
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro will compete in a runoff election on October 25 after neither candidate secured a first-round victory on October 4. Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of Jair Bolsonaro, outperformed polling expectations to secure his spot in the final round. The race remains tight between the incumbent leftist president and the right-wing senator. Financial markets reacted positively to the first-round results, with Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan upgrading Brazilian equities to Overweight.
Why it matters
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the seventh-largest by population. The outcome of this election is seen as a shift toward the right that could provide US President Donald Trump with a powerful ideological ally. A victory for Flávio Bolsonaro may also influence how Washington counters Chinese influence in the region.
What is confirmed
- The first round of the Brazil presidential election took place on October 4, 2026.
- President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro will face each other in a runoff election on October 25.
- Flávio Bolsonaro is the eldest son of Jair Bolsonaro.
- Neither Lula nor Flávio Bolsonaro won the presidency in the first round of voting.
Still unconfirmed
- Wall Street upgraded Brazilian equities after Flávio Bolsonaro outperformed polls.
- A Bolsonaro victory would strengthen Washington's hand in countering China's influence in the hemisphere.
What to watch next
- The runoff election results on October 25
- Campaign shifts by Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro ahead of the final vote
confidence 90%Sources used for this update (15)
- en.wikipedia.org — Brazil - Wikipedia
- Reuters — Live maps and results for the Brazil Election
- CNN — Trump, crime and corruption loom over Brazil’s presidential vote
- wsj.com — Lula Is the Brazilian Left’s Last Hope—And Its Biggest Problem
- The Guardian — Brazil presidential election 2026: first-round live results
- Reuters — Polls close in Brazil as country awaits results of high-stakes election
- Al Jazeera — Brazil election results live: Lula and Bolsonaro locked in a tight race
- BBC — Polls close in Brazil as Lula and Bolsonaro remain neck and neck
- www.aljazeera.com — Brazil’s presidential race: Three key takeaways from the first round | Elections News
- edition.cnn.com — Brazil election runoff takeaways: Bolsonaro surges, Lula falters and Trump eyes prize | CNN
- www.theguardian.com — Brazil presidential election 2026: first-round live results | Brazil
- www.cnbc.com — Results trickle in as Brazil awaits results of presidential election
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