What to know about Brazil's election pitting Lula against Flávio Bolsonaro

What the report says

Brazilians are voting in a general election that BBC World News says is shaping up as a tight contest between President Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro. Polls cited in the report show both candidates near the 40% range, with Lula slightly ahead, while the other contenders trail far behind. If no one wins a majority of valid votes in the first round, the two leading candidates would go to a run-off.

The BBC report says the race is heavily influenced by the legacy of Jair Bolsonaro, Flávio’s father and Brazil’s former president. Jair Bolsonaro is not on the ballot and is serving a prison sentence after being convicted of plotting a coup following the 2022 election, though he remains a visible presence in the campaign. Flávio Bolsonaro has openly aligned himself with that political base and has used campaign events to signal his father’s support.

Lula, who has already served three terms as president, is seeking to extend his latest term. The BBC notes that he remains popular with many supporters for earlier poverty-reduction policies, but his record has also drawn criticism over corruption scandals in his party and environmental issues, including oil exploration near the Amazon. His administration says it has reduced deforestation and is balancing growth with a transition to cleaner energy.

Flávio Bolsonaro, a senator and lawyer, is running on a law-and-order platform that emphasizes tougher sentencing, looser gun rules and reduced regulation for business and farming. The BBC says voters are weighing crime, the economy and democracy, with the outcome potentially decided by a relatively small number of undecided voters.