Brazil Election Run-off: Lula and Bolsonaro Neck-and-Neck in Final Polls

As Brazil approaches its crucial presidential election run-off on Sunday, a new CNT/MDA poll indicates a near-dead heat between incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro. The right-wing senator, eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, is projected to secure 46.3 percent of the vote, narrowly trailing the leftist Lula, who garnered 45 percent, according to the poll released on Saturday.

This latest survey follows a slight shift from the previous week, where the same poll showed Bolsonaro holding a marginal lead at 46.8 percent to Lula's 45.9 percent. The CNT/MDA poll surveyed 2,032 individuals between October 21 and October 23, with a stated margin of error of 2.2 percentage points.

The poll's release comes just a day after the candidates' final televised debate, during which they clashed over key issues such as Brazil’s economy, infrastructure, and regional development. Bolsonaro criticized the current administration, alleging an increase in organized crime, mounting household debt, and a failure to address the rising cost of living. In response, President Lula, Brazil's first working-class president, countered by stating that Bolsonaro