The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, voted this Sunday in São Bernardo do Campo, in the metropolitan area of São Paulo, presenting the elections as a decision about two opposing models of the country. "The people will have to choose between strengthening the democratic regime or barbarism," affirmed the candidate of the Workers' Party (PT), who also contrasted "development or backwardness" and economic growth against regression. Lula has shown himself convinced of his chances of victory and has assured that he will respect the result of the ballots.
The main rival of the president is Flávio Bolsonaro, senator of the Liberal Party (PL) and son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. The election arrives deeply polarized and with both candidates separated by narrow margins in the latest polling studies. Reuters notes that Lula starts with a slight advantage in several polls, but without having guaranteed the absolute majority of valid votes necessary to resolve the presidency in the first round.
Lula attacks weapons, militias, and the Banco Master case
After casting his ballot, Lula took advantage of his appearance before the media to launch new criticisms against some of the issues that have marked the campaign. "Brazil will not move forward by facilitating the sale of weapons," he stated before adding that the country will also not advance "with militias" nor with the "orgy" that, according to his words, surrounds the scandal of Banco Master. The president defended that the future of the country must be built with "seriousness" and "dignity" from its rulers.
The Banco Master case has become one of the recurring issues of the campaign and politically affects different areas of power. Flávio Bolsonaro is being investigated for possible irregularities related to the financing of "Dark Horse," a movie about his father, in addition to his links with people related to the bank. The existence of investigations does not imply guilt and responsibilities must be determined in court.
Proposes changing the system for electing Supreme Court judges
Lula has also taken advantage of the electoral day to open another significant debate: a possible reform of the Federal Supreme Court (STF). The president has defended reviewing both the procedure for electing its members and the duration of their terms and has called for greater representation of women in the highest judicial body of the country. As he explained after voting, any change should be addressed after listening to jurists and specialists beforehand.
The leader of the PT has also questioned whether the position can be used to accumulate great fortunes and has compared the role of Supreme judge to an activity that requires special dedication to public service. His proposal would entail opening a broad institutional discussion, as currently the STF justices are appointed by the president of the Republic, need Senate approval, and can remain in office until reaching the mandatory retirement age.
Lula votes accompanied by his main allies
The PT candidate has cast his vote at the João Firmino Correia de Araújo State School, one of the centers where he traditionally participates in elections from São Bernardo do Campo, a city closely linked to his political and union career. Lula has been accompanied, among others, by his vice-presidential candidate, Geraldo Alckmin, as well as Simone Tebet, Marina Silva, Fernando Haddad, and Márcio França.
The day marks Lula's seventh presidential candidacy and his attempt to secure a fourth term at the helm of the country. The 80-year-old Brazilian leader faces the election after a campaign marked by polarization with bolsonarism, concerns about the cost of living, security, and various scandals that have affected both major political blocs.
The polls leave the second round open
One of the last polls published before the voting, conducted by CNT/MDA, gave Lula a 43.1% voting intention, compared to 38% for Flávio Bolsonaro. When only valid votes are counted, excluding blank, null, and undecided votes, the president reaches 47.8%, while his rival stands at 42.1%. Lula would thus be 2.2 points below the 50% needed to resolve the election this Sunday, although a single poll does not allow for anticipating the final result.
The study was conducted through 2,007 face-to-face interviews between September 30 and October 2, with a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points and a confidence level of 95%. In a hypothetical second round, CNT/MDA places Lula at 47.3% and Bolsonaro at 43.1%, a scenario equally tight within the statistical margins of the study. Other polls published on the eve also reflect a close race between the two main candidates.
More than 158 million Brazilians called to vote
The elections this Sunday go far beyond the Presidency. 158.7 million people are eligible to vote and must also choose governors, senators, and federal and state deputies. In total, more than 1,650 positions are at stake in a day that will completely renew the Chamber of Deputies and two-thirds of the Senate, in addition to the governments of the 26 states and the Federal District.
The polls remain open between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM Brasília time, and the counting will begin immediately afterward. To win the Presidency in the first round, a candidate needs more than half of the valid votes. If none reach that threshold, the two most voted candidates will face each other again on Sunday, October 25, a date officially set by the Superior Electoral Court for a possible second round.
Brazil thus arrives at one of its tightest electoral appointments in recent years. Lula aims to extend the PT's cycle and presents the vote as a defense of his democratic and social project, while Flávio Bolsonaro seeks to return bolsonarism to the Palácio do Planalto. The polls depict an open scenario and make a second round likely, but it will be the votes cast this Sunday that will determine if Brazil needs to return to the polls in three weeks.