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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Brazil set for election run-off | Brazil set for election run-off |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil has narrowly failed to win re-election outright in the first round of the presidential election. | President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil has narrowly failed to win re-election outright in the first round of the presidential election. |
| Lula needed at least 50% of the vote to avoid a run-off on 29 October, but fell about 1% short, officials say. | Lula needed at least 50% of the vote to avoid a run-off on 29 October, but fell about 1% short, officials say. |
| He will now go head to head with former Sao Paulo governor Geraldo Alckmin, who took 41.4% of the vote. | He will now go head to head with former Sao Paulo governor Geraldo Alckmin, who took 41.4% of the vote. |
| Mr Alckmin gained ground late in the campaign, after President Lula's party was accused of dirty tricks. | Mr Alckmin gained ground late in the campaign, after President Lula's party was accused of dirty tricks. |
| He emerged from his Sao Paulo apartment to thank voters for their support. | He emerged from his Sao Paulo apartment to thank voters for their support. |
| "I'm heading to the second round with a great chance of winning the election," a beaming Mr Alckmin told reporters. | "I'm heading to the second round with a great chance of winning the election," a beaming Mr Alckmin told reporters. |
| There was no immediate comment from the president - but his aide Tarso Genro told reporters: "We were ready for the first round and we also will be ready for the second round." | There was no immediate comment from the president - but his aide Tarso Genro told reporters: "We were ready for the first round and we also will be ready for the second round." |
| Dossier | Dossier |
| The BBC's Steve Kingstone in Sao Paulo says a run-off against Mr Alckmin is a set-back for Lula - as he likes to be called. | The BBC's Steve Kingstone in Sao Paulo says a run-off against Mr Alckmin is a set-back for Lula - as he likes to be called. |
| Mr Alckmin says he can win the second round battle | Mr Alckmin says he can win the second round battle |
| With four more weeks of campaigning ahead, he remains the favourite, but suddenly the race looks much more competitive, our correspondent adds. | With four more weeks of campaigning ahead, he remains the favourite, but suddenly the race looks much more competitive, our correspondent adds. |
| The president had a comfortable lead in the weeks leading up to the election, but opinion polls showed a dip in support for him amid scandals involving his Workers' Party. | The president had a comfortable lead in the weeks leading up to the election, but opinion polls showed a dip in support for him amid scandals involving his Workers' Party. |
| Two weeks ago two men with links to the party were arrested carrying $800,000 dollars in cash, which detectives believe was to have paid for a dossier of corruption allegations against the president's rivals. | Two weeks ago two men with links to the party were arrested carrying $800,000 dollars in cash, which detectives believe was to have paid for a dossier of corruption allegations against the president's rivals. |
| The scandal led Lula to sack his campaign manager, but it resurfaced over the weekend with newspapers publishing photographs of the wads of banknotes. | The scandal led Lula to sack his campaign manager, but it resurfaced over the weekend with newspapers publishing photographs of the wads of banknotes. |
| The president denies ever engaging in smear tactics. | The president denies ever engaging in smear tactics. |
| On Friday he pulled out of a final TV debate with other candidates, saying they would launch personal attacks on him. | On Friday he pulled out of a final TV debate with other candidates, saying they would launch personal attacks on him. |
| This move looks to have been a huge tactical error, our correspondent says. | This move looks to have been a huge tactical error, our correspondent says. |
| Attention will now focus on the electoral court's inquiry into dirty tricks, with the president himself among those under investigation. | Attention will now focus on the electoral court's inquiry into dirty tricks, with the president himself among those under investigation. |
| Poverty | Poverty |
| It is four years since Lula, the first left-winger to hold the country's highest office in 50 years, was elected in a landslide victory. | It is four years since Lula, the first left-winger to hold the country's highest office in 50 years, was elected in a landslide victory. |
| His policies, which include raising the minimum wage and broadening state help to the poorest families, have reduced the number of Brazilians living in poverty. | His policies, which include raising the minimum wage and broadening state help to the poorest families, have reduced the number of Brazilians living in poverty. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Even if Geraldo wins, nothing will change if the Congress doesn't Carlos Alberto da Silva, Sao Paulo href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=3941&edition=1&ttl=20060921131956" class="">Send us your views But many commentators argue that his programmes fail to address the structural problems that underpin poverty, such as education. | |
| Mr Alckmin has drawn support from the business community and middle class voters angered by a corruption scandal last year involving government lawmakers. | Mr Alckmin has drawn support from the business community and middle class voters angered by a corruption scandal last year involving government lawmakers. |
| Brazilians also elected state governors, all congressional representatives and a third of senators, with more than 125 million voters taking part. | Brazilians also elected state governors, all congressional representatives and a third of senators, with more than 125 million voters taking part. |