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Mapa do Segundo Turno
Mapa do Segundo Turno

16/ 47Change

“The word is change.” Flávio has spent 23 years in elected office.

On the night he finished the first round in first place, with 47.03% of valid votes and no majority[1], Flávio Bolsonaro summed up the vote in one word: change[2]. He has held elected office continuously since 2003[3][4], has belonged to at least six parties[5][6][7] and has a former minister from his father's government coordinating his campaign[8].

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Time in elected officeEach bar represents time served in an elected term, from taking office to October 2026.Flávio Bolsonarooutrosremainder of the termtoday

  1. Flávio Bolsonaro, PL candidate

    23 years in elected office

    • of 2003 to 2019: State deputy (RJ), four terms[3][5]
    • since 2019: Senator (RJ) · ongoing until 2027[4]

  2. Lula, PT candidate

    15 years in elected office

    • of 1987 to 1991: Federal deputy in the Constituent Assembly[9][10]
    • of 2003 to 2011: President[9]
    • since 2023: President · ongoing until 2027[10]

  3. Jair Bolsonaro, Flávio's father

    34 years in elected office

    • of 1989 to 1991: City councillor (RJ)[11]
    • of 1991 to 2019: Federal deputy (RJ), seven terms[11]
    • of 2019 to 2023: President[11]

Only elected terms served up to October 2026 count. Defeated candidacies, such as Flávio's 2016 run for mayor of Rio, are not included[5], nor are Lula's years as a trade unionist and PT leader before 1987.

View the figures in a table
PersonOfficePartyStartEndSources
Flávio BolsonaroState deputy (RJ), four termsnot stated20032019[3] [5]
Flávio BolsonaroSenator (RJ)not stated20192027 (ongoing)[4]
LulaFederal deputy in the Constituent Assemblynot stated19871991[9] [10]
LulaPresidentnot stated20032011[9]
LulaPresidentnot stated20232027 (ongoing)[10]
Jair BolsonaroCity councillor (RJ)not stated19891991[11]
Jair BolsonaroFederal deputy (RJ), seven termsnot stated19912019[11]
Jair BolsonaroPresidentnot stated20192023[11]

The speech

The word is change

On the night of 4 October, at his campaign headquarters in Brasília, Flávio Bolsonaro spoke of the “56 million Brazilian men and women” who had given “this vote of confidence for change”. He said “Brazil cannot take any more”. And he summed up: “The word is change”[2].

He finished the first round in first place, with 47.03% of valid votes and no majority; Lula received 45.16%. The two contest the runoff on October 25[1].

The career

23 years, six parties

Flávio was elected a state deputy in Rio in 2002, aged 21[5], and served four consecutive terms in the Alerj; he has been a senator since 2019[3]. Since February 2003, he has held elected office without interruption: 23 years[4].

During that time, he has belonged to at least six parties: PP, PSC, PSL, Republicanos, Patriota and PL[5][6][7]. Lula is also a career politician: he founded the PT in 1980, served as a deputy in the Constituent Assembly[9] and is president for the third time[10]. His terms add up to 15 years, fewer than Flávio's.

The father

Who governed with his father

The campaign is coordinated by Rogério Marinho, his father's former Regional Development minister, chosen at Jair Bolsonaro's request[8]. The economic and social mobility team includes Daniella Marques, who headed Caixa during his government[12]. Describing the 76-page government program, Agência Brasil sums up: Flávio “proposes a government close to his father's”[13].

His father was sentenced by the STF to 27 years and 3 months in prison for leading an attempted coup, and is serving the sentence at home[14]. Speaking about him on TV Globo, Flávio said: “He was tried by his enemies”. He promised to work “to get the amnesty done during the transition itself”[15].

The target

Change against whom?

On the same night, Flávio also said: “it is the end of the PT era. It is decreed”[2]. In January, when accepting the coordinator role, Rogério Marinho summed up: “defeating the PT is a historical necessity to save Brazil”[8].

Maurício Moura, founder of a polling institute, told CNN Brasil: “Many voters do not even like Flávio, but this was the best opportunity to remove the PT and beat Lula”[16]. Flávio, who says he opposes re-election, responds: “I only need one term”[17].

On October 25, the voters have the final word.

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References17 sources

  1. 01Poder360 · Bolsonarismo vira a diferença sobre Lula em relação a 2022With 100% of ballots counted: Flávio 47.03% (56,104,503 votes), Lula 45.16% (53,879,538).(opens in a new tab)
  2. 02O Tempo · Flávio diz que ‘Brasil quer mudança’ e afirma que vitória no 1º turno não aconteceu ‘por pouco’At campaign headquarters in Brasília: “The word is change”, “Brazil cannot take any more” and “the end of the PT era. It is decreed”.(opens in a new tab)
  3. 03Agência Senado · Flávio Bolsonaro é eleito presidente da CSP“He began his political career in 2003”, elected a state deputy four consecutive times; senator since 2019.(opens in a new tab)
  4. 04Senado Federal · Senador Flávio BolsonaroOfficial profile, accessed on 6 October 2026: term as senator for RJ from 2019 to 2027.(opens in a new tab)
  5. 05Itatiaia · Conheça a carreira política de Flávio Bolsonaro, pré-candidato à PresidênciaElected a state deputy aged 21 for the PP; four terms in the Alerj; PSC in 2016, PSL in 2018, Patriota, then PL.(opens in a new tab)
  6. 06Poder360 · Flávio Bolsonaro anuncia filiação ao PatriotaHe belonged to Republicanos from March 2020 to May 2021 and joined Patriota.(opens in a new tab)
  7. 07Congresso em Foco · Após Jair e Flávio, Carlos e Eduardo Bolsonaro também devem ir para o PLFlávio joined the PL on November 30, 2021.(opens in a new tab)
  8. 08InfoMoney · Flávio Bolsonaro foca no Nordeste e escala ex-ministro como coordenador de campanhaMarinho, former Regional Development minister, coordinates the campaign at Jair Bolsonaro's request: “defeating the PT is a historical necessity”.(opens in a new tab)
  9. 09Planalto · Biografia do Presidente da RepúblicaAccessed on 6 October 2026: founded the PT in 1980, elected a Constituent Assembly deputy in 1986, elected president in 2002 and 2006.(opens in a new tab)
  10. 10A Gazeta · Folhapress · Confira a trajetória de Lula, eleito presidente pela terceira vezRemained in the Chamber until 1991; elected president for the third time in 2022.(opens in a new tab)
  11. 11Câmara dos Deputados · Biografia do(a) Deputado(a) Federal JAIR BOLSONAROAccessed on 6 October 2026: city councillor from 1989 to 1991, seven legislative terms from 1991 to 2019, president from 2019 to 2023.(opens in a new tab)
  12. 12Poder360 · Daniella Marques vai integrar núcleo econômico de Flávio BolsonaroFormer Caixa president and former secretary at Jair Bolsonaro's Economy Ministry, on the campaign's economic team.(opens in a new tab)
  13. 13Agência Brasil · Flávio Bolsonaro propõe enxugar Estado e endurecer ações de segurança76-page program “Para o Brasil Vencer o Atraso”: “He proposes a government close to that of his father, Jair Bolsonaro”.(opens in a new tab)
  14. 14Agência Brasil · Defesa cita novos fatos e pede revisão da condenação de BolsonaroSentenced to 27 years and three months “for leading an attempted coup”; serving the sentence under house arrest.(opens in a new tab)
  15. 15InfoMoney · Flávio diz que buscará anistia para Bolsonaro ainda durante governo de transiçãoIn the TV Globo interview: “I will work to get the amnesty done during the transition itself”; “He was tried by his enemies”.(opens in a new tab)
  16. 16CNN Brasil · Voto em Flávio Bolsonaro é motivado por rejeição a Lula, diz especialistaMaurício Moura's analysis of the motivation for voting for Flávio; cites no poll on the subject.(opens in a new tab)
  17. 17Estado de Minas · PlatôBR · Mudança, STF e reeleição: os recados de Flávio Bolsonaro após o primeiro turno“I only need one term”; Flávio reaffirmed his opposition to re-election.(opens in a new tab)