Lula wins Brazil's presidential election against Flavio Bolsonaro

Brazil voted on Sunday in a runoff between Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro for the presidency. Lula, the left-wing incumbent, secured victory against the conservative candidate and son of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.

The two candidates had been neck-and-neck in opinion polls before the vote. During their final televised debate days before the election, both men adopted a more moderate tone than their first confrontation. Flavio Bolsonaro was able to lay out his economic proposals, while Lula took a more aggressive stance without resorting to the insults deployed in their initial debate.

In the weeks leading up to the vote, São Paulo's financial circles publicly backed Flavio Bolsonaro's pledges: public spending cuts, privatisations and tax reductions. Public figures also threw their weight behind the campaign, notably footballer Neymar, who expressed support for the conservative candidate on the Friday before the election, having previously backed Jair Bolsonaro in 2022.

The election was marked by incidents. Lula denounced obstacles to voting in several cities. A Supreme Court judge intervened by extending voting station closures by two hours due to transport problems, according to RTBF. The schedule change created some confusion during the count.

Brazil went to the polls against a backdrop of stark polarisation, with the two candidates at odds over insecurity, the economy, the environment and the future of democracy. Before the vote, voters displayed mixed feelings about the stakes, particularly on the country's social and economic issues.