Flavio Bolsonaro and Lula da Silva head to Brazil runoff

Brazil’s presidential election goes to a runoff on October 25 after the right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro came out on top in the first round with 47% of the vote against 44.2% for incumbent leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, with 97% of ballots counted, according to preliminary results from the electoral commission.

While Lula advocates a more independent foreign policy and close relations with China and the BRICS countries, Flavio advocates closer cooperation with Washington and maintains political ties with the administration of Donald Trump. Representatives of the left-wing forces fear that if the young Bolsonaro takes office, the government will enter into a close alliance with the United States, and Trump’s hostility to the BRICS could lead to a freeze on the country’s activities in the grouping.

First round and preparation for runoff

Neither Flavio Bolsonaro nor Lula da Silva managed to secure the absolute majority needed to win in the first round. The right-wing candidate won by 2 million votes more than Lula, while the right-wing candidates in third, fourth and fifth place received a combined 6 million votes. Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, 45, is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for an attempted coup. The young Bolsonaro has promised to take a tough stance against criminals, weaken the welfare state and uphold conservative values, while he is under investigation for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion over his ties to Banco Master and the financing of a biographical film.

Students protest potential presidency of Flavio Bolsonaro

In response to the election results, thousands of Brazilian students marched through downtown Rio de Janeiro to protest the possibility of Flavio Bolsonaro becoming president. The protesters carried signs with messages about sovereignty and democracy in Brazil and expressed concerns that the country could become a US colony if it aligns with the Trump administration. Meanwhile, other members of the Bolsonaro family achieved electoral success, with former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro and Carlos Bolsonaro elected as senators in the federal district of Brasilia and the Senate.

More on this story: Brazil Election: Lula Faces Flávio Bolsonaro in High-Stakes Presidential Vote · Brazil Election Heads to Run-off Between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro, BBC reports