Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro in the second round: the taboo the PT candidate needs to break
Lula tries to defeat Flávio Bolsonaro in the second round of the 2026 Elections and needs to break a historical taboo that haunts the left in South America.
TL;DR
- Lula faces Flávio Bolsonaro in the second round of elections on October 25th.
- Since Gabriel Boric's election in Chile in 2021, no leftist candidate in South America has won a runoff after finishing second in the first round.
- Brazil's electoral history shows that no candidate finishing second in the first round has ever been elected president.
- The political landscape in South America has shifted, with seven right-wing governments and five left-wing governments, reversing the trend from early 2023 when the left dominated.
- Key issues driving the conservative advance include public dissatisfaction with the economy and security, effective digital communication by the right, and external influences like Donald Trump's 'Americas Shield' security plan.