Brazil:
Brazil, the world’s 4th largest democracy, held presidential elections on October 2. Thousands of polling stations were set up across the country where people waited in long queues to cast their votes. In this election, incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro contested again. The runoff was between far-right Jair Bolsonaro and left-wing candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose former president has served time in prison for corruption.
Pre-election polls had given Silva a bright chance of victory. Jair Bolsonaro’s chances of winning in this election were questionable as he faced strong opposition and criticism from the people regarding the way he handled the corona virus and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.
It is noteworthy that according to the Brazilian electoral procedure, a candidate running for the presidency must receive more than 50 percent of the votes.
In this case, the votes registered in the Brazilian election were counted and the results were announced yesterday. Left-wing leader and former president Lulu da Silva has won 50.90 percent of the vote and won again as the president of Brazil. Lulu da Silva, the new president-elect, will take office in January next year.
Incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro won 49.10 percent of the vote.