The polling stations in Brazil closed, where 156.4 million voters were called to elect the new president, but also governors, deputies, a third of the Senate and to renew regional legislative assemblies. 

The

very first data, relating only to 0.88% of the ballots scrutinized

, show the advantage of

Jair Bolsonaro with 48.40% over Lula with 41.15%

.

As for the vote abroad, where about half of the sections scattered around the world have already been scrutinized, Lula would be ahead with 51.2%

The latest

polls

on voting intentions for

today's presidential elections in Brazil

gave, according to the survey of the

Ipec Institute,

the former president (2003-2010) with

51% of

valid votes (one point less than last Monday) and the current president,

Jair Bolsonaro

, who is running for re-election,

has 37%

(up three points). 

The

Datafolha poll

, on the other hand, assigns

50% of the valid votes to the socialist leader

(unchanged from the previous poll) and to

the right-wing leader 36%

(also unchanged).

The Brazilian electoral law provides for the

automatic election of the candidate who obtains more than half of the valid votes

(excluding blank and invalid ballots) in the first round

and a ballot, scheduled for October 30

, if no one exceeds this limit.

According to pollsters, Lula's victory in the first round is not guaranteed because both polls have a two percentage point

margin of error

, so voting intentions could range from 48% to 53%.

According to experts, the possibility of the race being decided today also depends on

the abstention rate

, as Lula could be damaged if a large number of voters decide not to go to the polls.

Aware of the possibility of being elected in the first round, the former union leader spent the last days of his election campaign in search of the "

useful vote

", or the support of the voters of third party candidates who do not want to waste their vote. Likewise, Bolsonaro has also sought the voters of other candidates with the intention of reducing the advantage that separates him from his major political rival and to seek to force a second round, in the hope of reversing the situation in the next four weeks From the Ipec survey it would seem that Bolsonaro's strategy has been more successful so far. 

Bolsonaro

's re-election committee

was asked to

limit the

Supreme Court's decision that obliges municipalities to

keep public transport

running on voting day albeit Sunday, but the

Tribunal Superior Eleitoral

considered the

request absurd

Despite the polls, outgoing President

Bolsonaro

is confident he will be

re

-elected with over 60% of the vote, based on the support he received on the streets of every Brazilian city he visited in the 45-day election campaign.

Despite the latest polls seeing him in second place, the right-wing leader said

what he sees on the streets is very different from what the polls say

.

"

We were in Joinville this Saturday and it seems that the whole city took to the streets to welcome us. It was incredible what happened

," said the head of state in a live broadcast on social networks on the eve of the presidential elections. most polarized in the history of Brazil.

"

And not only today, but in the 45 days of the election campaign, in which I made about 20 trips, the welcome was exceptional everywhere, even in the north-east region, which they say is a stronghold of the left, where hospitality is it

was incredible

, "he added.

ap photo

Elections in Brazil, Lula supporters