Weekly Report - 20 August 2026 (WR-26-33)

With 16 August marking the start of the official campaigning period ahead of the 4 October general elections, presidential hopefuls have held their first rallies and events around the country. Opinion polls still show that the two names most likely to reach the presidential run-off, which takes place on 25 October if no candidate receives over 50% of the valid votes in the first round, are leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Partido dos Trabalhadores, PT) and right-wing opposition Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (Partido Liberal, PL). While the candidate for the ‘Bolsonarismo’ movement is among a crowded field of right-wing contenders, Lula does not face strong challengers further to the left.