Brasilia, Brazil – Brazilian Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro finished ahead of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the first round of the presidential election, sending the two rivals to an Oct. 25 runoff after neither secured a majority.

With more than 99% of ballots counted, Bolsonaro, the Liberal Party candidate, received about 47% of valid votes, while Lula of the Workers’ Party took about 45%, according to results from Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court.

Bolsonaro’s first-place finish defied pre-election surveys that had generally shown Lula leading the opening round.

“Brazil wants change and I am very happy with the results,” Bolsonaro told reporters after the vote, describing the outcome as the beginning of “the end of the era” of Lula’s Workers’ Party.

Bolsonaro, 45, is the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro and has positioned himself as a conservative alternative to Lula, who is seeking a fourth nonconsecutive presidential term.

Lula, 80, entered the election seeking another term after returning to the presidency in 2023.

The campaign has been dominated by concerns over the cost of living, public security and corruption, while Brazil’s relationship with the United States has also emerged as an issue.

Bolsonaro has cultivated ties with US President Donald Trump, who hosted him at the White House and publicly praised him during the campaign, although Trump did not formally endorse a candidate. Lula, meanwhile, has accused Washington of interfering in Brazil’s domestic affairs, allegations the United States has rejected.

Under Brazilian election rules, a presidential candidate must receive more than 50% of valid votes, excluding blank and null ballots, to win in the first round.

With neither Bolsonaro nor Lula reaching that threshold, voters will return to the polls on Oct. 25 to choose between the two candidates.

Nearly 159 million Brazilians were eligible to participate in the election, which also included races for governors and Congress.