Flavio Bolsonaro leads Lula as Brazil election heads to runoff

The right-wing senator has nearly 50% of the vote with almost two-thirds of polling stations reporting

Brazil’s presidential election is headed to a runoff, with right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, leading incumbent left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

With 64.81% of polling stations reporting, Bolsonaro had received 49.58% of the vote, compared with Lula’s 42.25%, according to the official tally.

Under Brazilian election rules, a presidential candidate must secure more than 50% of valid votes to win in the first round. With neither Bolsonaro nor Lula reaching that threshold, the two will face each other in a runoff on October 25.

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