A nail-biting election is expected in Brazil as the country prepares to vote for its next president. Based on the latest media polls, incumbent president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is projected to hold a narrow lead over Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Against Lula is 45-year-old senator Flavio Bolsonaro , the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is the candidate of the right-wing Liberal party. To secure a term as the next president, a candidate must secure 50 per cent of the votes. If neither candidate secures 50 per cent, the election goes into a run-off, where another round of voting is held.
Flavio has pledged a hard stance on crime and close cooperation with the United States, which the Lula administration has worked to move away from. Apart from the key contenders, Augusto Cury, Ronaldo Caiado, Renan Santos and Romeu Zema are also in the race for president. Majority of the surveys in Brazil have predicted a close contest between the left-wing incumbent and the far-right senator. Despite the polls, last-minute decisions from voters are expected to play a key role in who will become the next president of Brazil. The presidential elections in Brazil will be one which is closely watched by US President Donald Trump as the Republican leader works towards establishing ties with Latin America.
