Brazil presidential runoff sees Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro tied in polls

According to DW English, Brazil's presidential runoff election scheduled for October 25 is shaping up to be highly competitive, with left-wing incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro virtually tied in recent polls. The PoderData polling institute projects each candidate has 50% voter backing.

The Guardian reported that during a televised debate, Flavio Bolsonaro attempted to highlight his rival's alleged corruption by displaying the word "corrupto" on his hand. However, this move backfired and became a viral meme on social media, potentially affecting public perception ahead of the runoff.

The runoff election follows a close contest in 2022 when Lula narrowly defeated Jair Bolsonaro, Flavio's father, with just over 50% of the vote.

Flavio Bolsonaro won the first round of voting on October 4 with 47% of the vote, and his right-wing bloc gained many congressional seats, mainly at the expense of centrist parties. Initially, Bolsonaro held a lead of up to six percentage points in polls following the first round.

However, Lula gained momentum through nationwide rallies and an active social media campaign, while Bolsonaro reduced street campaigning due to his early lead, which analysts now see as a strategic error. Bolsonaro has since resumed mobilizing efforts ahead of the runoff.