World News: Brazil polls show Lula gaining over Bolsonaro, third candidate ’embryonic’ – Gulf Digital News

World News: Brazil polls show Lula gaining over Bolsonaro, third candidate ’embryonic’ – Gulf Digital News

BRASILIA - Brazil's former leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva increased his lead to 17 percentage points over far-right President Jair Bolsonaro in a new survey of voter preferences ahead of an October election.

If the election were held today, Lula would win 41% of votes against 24% for Bolsonaro, according to the survey by polling firm Ideia, published late on Thursday by business weekly Exame.

In the previous poll last month, 37% of those surveyed said they would vote for Lula and 27% for Bolsonaro. Neither politician has formally declared his candidacy in what is expected to be a highly polarised race.

Lula, who governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010 and was later jailed on corruption charges that were eventually overturned, would defeat Bolsonaro or any other candidate in a second-round vote, the Ideia poll showed.

Another poll published on Friday by broker XP Investimentos confirmed Lula's clear lead, with voter support at 44% for Lula and 24% for Bolsonaro. That survey by polling firm IPESPE showed Lula pulling ahead in a runoff, with a 25-point advantage (56% versus 31%).

Lula has gained significant ground in regions where Bolsonaro was stronger, including southern and midwestern Brazil, when respondents were asked in an