Serbia Votes Today, With Brazil Choosing a President Tonight
Polls opened in Serbia at six this morning and close at seven tonight, with first indications about two hours later. A student movement born of two years of protest is level with the party that has governed since 2012. Brazil votes later today in a run-off that polling has tied.
Serbian queues formed before polls opened in Belgrade and Novi Sad. One poll on Thursday put the governing party at 47% against the student list’s 40%, though others have had the students ahead; there is no turnout figure yet. The list has 250 candidates chosen by university faculty assemblies, none with political experience, and no leader, so the cardiologist at its head would not automatically become prime minister. Aleksandar Vucic gave up the presidency, being barred from a third term, to stand for prime minister. In Brazil the run-off follows a first round on 4 October in which Flavio Bolsonaro led Lula da Silva by 47% to 45%. Two polls published since disagree: one on Saturday had Bolsonaro ahead by 46.3% to 45%, another on Thursday had them level on 50% each. Nearly 159 million are registered. Lula drew very large crowds on Saturday at two separate rallies, in Rio and in São Paulo, though no police or independent estimate of either exists. Results should follow within hours of polls closing.