Brasilia, April 13 -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is confronting the most competitive first-round scenario of his electoral career, according to a latest Datafolha survey reported by Folha de S.Paulo. The poll places Lula at 39 per cent of voting intentions, just four points ahead of Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who stands at 35 per cent, reflecting a sharply polarized and tightly contested race ahead of the 2026 presidential election.

Conducted between April 7 and 9 across 137 cities with 2,004 respondents, the survey carries a margin of error of two percentage points, underscoring the statistical fragility of Lula's lead. Compared to his earlier victories in 2002, 2006, and even 2022, the current figures reveal a signifi...