Brazilian runoff voters prioritize inflation, crime, corruption and fiscal policy

Brazil heads to a second-round ballot pitting right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro against left-leaning President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, with voters citing cost-of-living pressures as the foremost concern; a Quaest poll found over two-thirds reporting lower purchasing power and inflation at 4.58% versus the central bank’s 3% goal. Crime, though homicide rates have dropped 40% over ten years, still worries citizens, prompting Bolsonaro to promise maximum-security prisons and chemical castration, while Lula seeks to expand federal prison capacity and invest in impoverished areas.

Corruption allegations swirl around both camps, including a scandal at Banco Master that has led to probes of Bolsonaro and investigations of Lula’s son. Fiscal challenges loom as public debt climbs to 82.9% of GDP and the benchmark interest rate stays at 13.75%, with each candidate outlining different adjustment targets. Finally, foreign-policy debates have intensified after 2025 U.S. tariffs, with Bolsonaro courting right-wing allies and Lula advocating multilateral ties with Mercosur and BRICS.