Brazil Poll: Lula and Bolsonaro Remain Dead Even in Run-Off

The race between Brazil's president and the right-wing senator has tightened significantly in recent days. A new CNT/MDA poll reveals that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro remain about even on the eve of Sunday's election run-off. The latest data shows the right-wing senator, who is the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, would receive 46.3 percent of the vote compared with 45 percent for the leftist Lula. This shift marks a change from last week, when another poll showed Bolsonaro leading Lula by 46.8 percent to 45.9 percent.

The MDA surveyed 2,032 people from October 21 to October 23, with a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points. This release comes just one day after the final debate before the presidential run-off took place. The candidates questioned each other on Friday about Brazil's economy, infrastructure and regional development issues. Bolsonaro accused the incumbent of allowing organised crime to expand, driving families into debt and not addressing the higher cost of living. Lula responded by calling out his opponent directly. "He doesn't know what hunger is," Brazil's first working-class president said of Bolsonaro. "He doesn't know Brazil."

Sunday's vote comes after Bolsonaro finished first in the initial round of voting on October 4 with 47 percent to Lula's 45 percent. A Datafolha institute survey published on Thursday suggested the pair are now tied with 50 percent support each, compared with Bolsonaro's four-point lead in polls published two weeks ago. The situation remains too close for comfort as voters head to the polls.