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Brazil 2026 election live: Lula and Bolsonaro in tight race

Polls show another tight race between Lula and Bolsonaro leading into today’s run-off.

(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on October 23, 2026 shows Brazil's President and presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (R) and right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro taking part in a debate ahead of the presidential election runoff in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on October 18, 2026.
Video Duration 00 minutes 28 seconds 00:28

Brazil’s candidates hold final rallies before knife-edge run off

By Umar Farooq, Ahmed Diab and Evan Semones
Published On 25 Oct 2026

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  • Incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is seeking an unprecedented fourth term, facing off against Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in a tightly contested presidential race after a close first-round election on October 4.
  • Polling across Brazil begins at 8am (11:00 GMT) and will close at 5pm local time (20:00 GMT), with nearly 160 million citizens eligible to vote.