Explained: why Brazil votes again on October 25

Brazil will vote again on October 25 in a presidential runoff between Flavio Bolsonaro and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Here is how the first round played out.
Under Brazil’s system, a candidate needs more than 50 percent to win outright. Bolsonaro got about 47 percent and Lula about 45 percent, with nearly all votes counted. Neither crossed the line, so the top two meet again.
The result shocked the pollsters. A day before voting, Datafolha had Lula ahead 45 to 42. Analysts say silent voters and late momentum for the Bolsonaro camp explain the miss.
The stakes go beyond the presidency. Bolsonaro’s family swept seats across the country, giving his movement a powerful base. US President Donald Trump, a Bolsonaro ally, watched the result closely.
Lula said he expected to win in the first round and called the runoff the ultimate test. Three more weeks of campaigning will decide who leads Latin America’s largest economy.
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