Brazil's Rightward Shift: Runoff Elections Signal Political Redrawing

On Sunday, Brazilians in 51 cities vote in runoff elections to elect municipal officials, indicating a shift to the right and reshaping the political scene ahead of the 2026 elections. Right-wing parties, including Bolsonaro's PL, are positioned to dominate, while Lula's PT struggles amidst falling popularity.

On Sunday, voters in 51 Brazilian cities head to the polls for municipal runoff elections, widely expected to confirm a rightward shift in the nation's political dynamics. These results could redefine the political landscape as the country prepares for presidential and Congressional elections in 2026.

Right and center-right parties are predicted to secure most victories in 15 state capitals, bolstering the influence of former hard-right President Jair Bolsonaro's Liberal Party (PL). Conversely, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's leftist Workers Party (PT) has seen dwindling support, aggravated by Lula's decreasing popularity. The PT faces stiff competition in Fortaleza from the PL, especially crucial in Lula's stronghold, northeastern Brazil.

While Lula has refrained from fully campaigning, partly due to a recent injury, he also confronts the constraints of a conservative Congress. The most watched race is in São Paulo, where Bolsonaro-endorsed incumbent Mayor Ricardo Nunes appears poised for re-election despite recent challenges. Cities with over 200,000 voters holding runoffs underscore a rising center-right trend as Lula's PT fails to capture any state capitals and divisions emerge within the right-wing ranks.

(With inputs from agencies.)