Brazil’s presidential election may require a runoff as president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is less than 1% short of winning outright after today’s voting. With about 90% of the votes counted, Lula leads with 49.3% of the vote while his nearest rival- former Sao Paulo governor Geraldo Alckmin- garnered 40.9% of the vote.
Even a senior party official of Lula’s Workers party has conceded that a runoff will be the “most probable” outcome.
Update (2 October): With 99% of the votes counted, Lula's lead shrunk to 48.8%; thus he will be forced into a runoff election on October 29th against Geraldo Alckmin. Allegations of corruption and malfeasance by Lula and his Workers Party shrunk his seemingly insurmountable lead. (Links via CNN and Times Online (U.K.)).
Links- BBC News, Guardian UK, Reuters
Image- Houston Chronicle (president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaking to the media shortly after placing his own ballot)
Tags- Brazil, election
1 comment:
Thanks for the link, though we cannot forget that Alckmin has been involved in his own problems with corruption.
This may turn out to be a very negative campaign by both sides when all is said and done.
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