The mayor of Sao Paulo Ricardo Nunez was re-elected and will govern for another four years in the largest city in Brazil, after defeating the representative of the left, it is clear from the forecast of the sociological agency "Datafolia" (Datafolha), prepared last night based on exit polls, reported Reuters, quoted by BTA.
Nunes was backed by Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas, who after last night's local elections emerged as the likely next leader of Brazil's right to replace former president Jair Bolsonaro, who was banned from holding elected office for eight years .
The left-wing representative's defeat represents a setback for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and demonstrates the growing support for the right amid Brazil's upcoming presidential election in 2026, Reuters notes.
Residents of 51 cities in Brazil voted in a second round of local elections that are expected to confirm the strengthening of the right in the country and reshape the political landscape ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections in 2026, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA .
Right and center-right parties are expected to win most of Brazil's 15 state capitals, which are electing mayors for the next four years, with former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's Liberal Party expected to strengthen its influence.
The left-wing Workers' Party of current head of state Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is performing poorly, partly because of its declining popularity.
Lula appears reluctant to campaign for candidates in danger of defeat, and an injury a week ago kept him out of the election campaign in its final days.
The strengthening of the right is also leading to splits in its ranks, especially in Sao Paulo, where Bolsonaro's followers have split between his candidate Nunes and far-right Pablo Markal, who sees himself as the former president's political successor.
In the agriculturally dependent state of Goiás, the Liberal Party is in a runoff for the capital Goiânia against the candidate of the conservative Brazilian Union, backed by Governor Ronaldo Sayado, who is seen as a possible and more moderate leader of the right.
The second round of the local vote is held in the cities of the country with a population of over 200,000 people, where none of the candidates won a majority in the first round, held on October 6.