Progressive voters and supporters of incumbent president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva left reeling after far-right surge

Flávio Bolsonaro is in pole position to win Brazil’s presidential election, after a far-right tsunami propelled him to a shock first-round victory over the incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, leaving progressive voters reeling.

The 45-year-old rightwing candidate received 56.1m votes to Lula’s 53.8m – 47.03% to 45.16% – meaning the 80-year-old leftwinger has a mountain to climb if he is to bounce back in the second round on 25 October. Never, since the return of democracy to Brazil in 1985, has the first-round runner-up managed to turn the game around and win the second ballot.

“Miracles are possible in politics. But I don’t see that happening,” the political scientist Miguel Lago said of Lula’s chances of snapping back. “I don’t see Flávio losing this election now.”

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[–] 24 points 12 hours ago (1 child)

No way Brazilians are watching the far right clown show around the world and saying “I want in”

Frustratingly, it's entirely possible. We're seeing a similar thing in Australia with a bunch of imbecilic shills for billionaires and mining companies polling better than they ever have even though they've basically promised to be an Aussie version of the trump administration. We're all fucked, and it's just as much the fault of our friends, neighbours, and families as it is the oligarchs.

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  • [–] 1 point 4 hours ago*

    It doesn't help the the party who spruiks that they're for the working class, has done nothing but fellate the epstein class and tell the workers 'We've got ours' for the last 3 years.

    Absolutely nothing done on housing but it's all good, they passed a tax cut for the rich!

    Vote Greens if you want real change. Labor are liberal-lite (and it's becoming less 'lite' day by day)

    Edit: Don't forget that Labor are union-busters and want lower working conditions for laborers.

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