Brazilians went to the polls on 4 October 2026 in a general election between incumbent left-wing President Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Jair Bolsonaro was convicted of plotting a coup after thousands of his supporters stormed the Brazilian Congress following his narrow defeat to Lula four years ago, an episode that continues to shape the nation's political life. Eleven candidates are on the ballot, with Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro the two front-runners in what the BBC describes as a "deeply polarised" contest.
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