A new poll has found that right-wing SenatoràFlavio Bolsonaro maintains a slight lead over President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as the two candidates seek an edge ahead of BrazilâÂÂs tense October 25 run-off vote.
A Quaest poll released on Thursday found that Bolsonaro, son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, would receive 46 percent of the vote compared to LulaâÂÂs 44 percent, a difference within the two-percent margin of error.
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Bolsonaro outperformed expectations during the first round of voting on October 4, beating Lula by less than two points despite most polls suggesting that the leftist president was on track for a marginal first-round win. Neither candidate secured a majority that would have avoided a run-off.
The poll, the first released by Quaest since the initial round of voting, shows that Bolsonaro has held onto his lead and remains the favourite heading into the second round.
Lula has sought to rally his supporters after the October 4 loss, holding large rallies that have drawn millions of people onto the street.
While Bolsonaro has remained ahead in the polls, analysts have pointed out that he has not benefitted as much from the elimination of several conservative candidates, whose supporters would presumably prefer him to Lula, as might have been expected after the first round.
Bolsonaro has made progress securing endorsements from right and centre-right parties, however, seeking to consolidate support from conservatives and build a coalition friendly to business interests and a policy agenda sought by investors.
BrazilâÂÂs Senate approved a constitutional amendment on Wednesday reducing the countryâÂÂs maximum workweek from 44 to 40 hours per week without a reduction in pay, delivering a key priority for Lula as the president presses his case to an electorate that is anxious about cost-of-living issues.
âÂÂToday is a day to celebrate a historic achievement for millions of workers,â Lula said in a statement. âÂÂThis means having more time to live, rest, be with family, watch your children grow up, take care of yourself, and enjoy life. Those who work so hard to build Brazil also deserve to have time to live.âÂÂ
The president also recently banned sports betting, which had caused an explosion of gambling addiction and contributed to surging household debt across the country.