OCTOBER 25 — Brazil’s presidential election on October 25, 2026, is more than a contest between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. It is another important test of the direction of contemporary politics, where the political right has acquired increasing influence across several regions of the world.
Brazil may be geographically distant from Southeast Asia, but the ideological currents shaping its politics are not.
Nationalism, economic insecurity, political polarisation, hostility towards established institutions and dissatisfaction with traditional political parties are increasingly visible across continents.
The latest opinion polls demonstrate how closely divided Brazil has become.
