Brazil: 2022 presidential election

11 candidates contested the first round of the election, although only two stood a chance of being elected President: incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro and former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (known as Lula).

The election campaign officially started on 16 August and came at a time when Brazil was suffering from the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, compounded by fallout from Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.

As expected, Lula and Bolsonaro secured the most votes in the first round, although neither won an outright majority. Thus, a second runoff vote was required four weeks later.

In the second round, Lula secured a narrow majority of votes and was again elected president. When assuming office on 1 January 2023, he will become the first Brazilian president to serve a third term.

Lula’s election victory brought widespread praise from leaders across the world, particularly from fellow left-wing presidents in Latin America.