Lula holds tight lead over Senator Bolsonaro ahead of Brazil election, poll shows


Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva greets supporters as he launches his reelection campaign at Primeiro de Maio Stadium in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, August 16, 2026. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini

SAO PAULO, Aug ⁠17 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio ⁠Lula da Silva holds a tight ‌lead over Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, his main right-wing challenger, in a potential runoff ahead of ​October's election, a BTG ⁠Pactual/Nexus poll showed ⁠on Monday.

• In a simulated second-round runoff, the ⁠leftist ‌Lula would receive 47% of voter support compared with ⁠44% for Bolsonaro, unchanged from last ​week's poll.

• ‌The poll has a margin of ⁠error of ​two percentage points.

• In a first-round scenario, Lula would lead with 41% ⁠of the votes, followed by ​Bolsonaro at 36%, each up one percentage point from a week earlier.

• Senator ⁠Bolsonaro is the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

• If no candidate wins more than 50% of valid ​votes in the first ⁠round, the two frontrunners advance to ​a runoff.

• The poll ‌surveyed 2,003 people from ​August 14 to 16.

(Reporting by Fernando Cardoso; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

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