Flavio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party took 47.03 percent in Sunday’s opening round of Brazil’s 2026 presidential election, ahead of incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at 45.16 percent. Nearly 79 percent of more than 158.7 million voters participated, so a runoff is set for October 25.

The senator, son of a former president, told reporters he would coordinate with Liberal Party winners to pursue the next round and that the outcome closed Workers Party control. Party surveys had hinted at an outright win unlike public polls, and early counts briefly showed him over 50 percent until ballots from Lula’s core regions arrived.

On Monday he thanked God and the country, cited Liberal Party congressional gains that he said would restore legal certainty, congratulated governors and state deputies, pledged to put citizens first while working with local officials against drug-linked violence, and noted that little time remains before they set the nation right.