Brazil election pits Lula against Flavio Bolsonaro

Brazilians vote Sunday in a presidential election between President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro, with polls pointing to a likely runoff on October 25.

Lula, 80, is seeking a fourth and final term. Bolsonaro, 45, is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup after losing the 2022 election.

Opinion polls show neither candidate is likely to reach the more than 50 percent needed to win in the first round. Lula leads among poorer voters, Catholics, women and voters in Brazil's northeast, while Bolsonaro leads in the south, among wealthier voters and evangelicals.

The campaign has taken place in a deeply polarised country. Lula has warned that Brazil's sovereignty is at stake because of pressure from US President Donald Trump. Bolsonaro has presented himself as more moderate than his father and has promised a hard line on crime and fiscal austerity.

Trump has said he is watching the election "very closely" but has not endorsed Flavio Bolsonaro. He has used tariffs and sanctions to pressure Brasilia over issues including the trial of Jair Bolsonaro and alleged unfair trade practices.

Lula returned to office in 2022 after corruption charges against him were thrown out on procedural grounds. He defeated Jair Bolsonaro by 1.8 percentage points that year.