Brazil's 2026 runoff pits Lula against Flávio Bolsonaro
Brazil's runoff election on October 25 will decide whether incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva remains president or is replaced by Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, with polls showing a tight race. Both candidates have escalated their campaigns by seeking to annul each other's candidacies over alleged online platform inequalities. The election pits Lula's moderate left agenda against Bolsonaro's right-wing platform, with implications for Brazil's democracy, foreign relations, and Amazon rainforest policy. Lula's term saw deforestation drop to a near-decade low, while Bolsonaro has promised to pardon his imprisoned father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, and confront the Supreme Court. The outcome will also affect Brazil's ties with the US and China.