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Brazil: Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro tied ahead of runoff vote

Three days before the second round of voting, polls show a technical tie between the incumbent president and opposition senator, who will debate on television before Sunday's election.

23 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Brazil: Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro tied ahead of runoff vote — Archive photoPhoto: Decreto Estadual N. 34.244, de 17 de dezembro de 1958 - Cria o Brasão-de-Armas da Fôrça Pública e regulamenta o seu uso. · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro face each other in a decisive runoff on Sunday, October 25th in Brazil. The race has reached its final stage with an unprecedented parity between the two candidates. According to a Datafolha poll released on Thursday, three days before the vote, both contenders registered 50 per cent of valid votes each, marking a technical tie.

A week earlier, the survey showed results within the margin of error, with Bolsonaro at 51 per cent and Lula at 49 per cent. In the first round, Bolsonaro had edged his rival by less than two percentage points. The president's recovery in the latest measurements also reflects an improvement in approval ratings for his administration.

On Friday, October 23rd, the night before campaign activities ended, both candidates faced off in a televised debate broadcast by O Globo. The encounter began at 21:20 and lasted two hours. According to analysts cited in reports, this exchange took on special significance given the total tie between the contenders.

Both Lula and Bolsonaro accused their opponents of improper use of social media in the campaign and requested that the courts annul the rival's candidacy, according to media reports. Polarization around the presidential race has remained a central element of the electoral competition.

Press sources also note that Vasco, the football club based in Rio de Janeiro, has historically been a symbol of resistance to discrimination and class divisions. Romario, now a congressman identified with Bolsonarist positions, and Juninho Pernambucano are among the idols who played for the club, according to available information.

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