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| Dilma Rousseff took 41.1% of the vote in the first round of the election, ahead of Aécio Neves on 34.2%. Photograph: Xinhua /Landov/Barcroft Media |
THE GUARDIAN
Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, rode the success of her income redistribution programme to come out on top in a first-round election on Sunday, but failed to secure the overall majority needed to avoid a run-off.
After a rollercoaster campaign, the Workers Party incumbent came from behind to win 41.4% of the vote and will now face Aécio Neves of the pro-business Social Democratic party, who secured second with a spectacular late surge that boosted his vote to 33.7%.
The left-right battle between the nation’s two biggest parties is a disappointment to those who had hoped for change in the form of former environment minister Marina Silva, who led the polls at one stage, but faded into a distant third place with 21.3% – almost the same as she managed during her last attempt four years ago.
“Once again the Brazilian people have honoured me with their trust by giving me a victory in the first round of this contest,” Rousseff said.
The election appeared to have been carried out peacefully as 143 million voters headed to polling stations everywhere from the Atlantic seaboard to deep inside the Amazon rainforest. Some voters had to travel by boat for more than 12 hours to reach a polling booth, according to local media.