Flávio Bolsonaro is the Liberal Party (PL) candidate for Brazil's presidency and the most voted in the first round on October 4, 2026, with 47.03% of valid votes. A senator for Rio de Janeiro since 2019 and the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, he faces Lula da Silva in the October 25 runoff. Datafolha and Quaest polls show him with 51% of valid votes, a statistical tie.
Who Flávio Bolsonaro is
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Flavio Nantes Bolsonaro |
| Born | April 30, 1981, Resende (Rio de Janeiro) |
| Age | 45 |
| Party | Liberal Party (PL), number 22 |
| Running mate | Alfredo Gaspar (PL) |
| Current post | Senator for Rio de Janeiro (since 2019) |
| Father | Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's president from 2019 to 2022 |
The candidacy details come from his TSE record published by Gazeta do Povo. According to that record, his declared assets total about R$ 7.5 million, including a house in Brasília's Lago Sul.
Flávio Bolsonaro's political career
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Elected state deputy in Rio de Janeiro; re-elected in 2006, 2010 and 2014 |
| 2016 | Runs for mayor of Rio de Janeiro; finishes fourth |
| 2018 | Elected senator for Rio de Janeiro with 31.36% of the vote |
| December 5, 2025 | Announces his presidential pre-candidacy with his father's backing |
| July 25, 2026 | PL makes his candidacy official in São Paulo |
| October 4, 2026 | Wins the first round with 47.03% |
Flávio announced his candidacy after visiting his father in prison, Al Jazeera reported. Jair Bolsonaro, convicted over the plot to overturn the 2022 election result, is barred from office until 2030 and is regarded as the PL's honorary leader. The date of the nomination is the one recorded by Wikipedia.
Flávio Bolsonaro's proposals
His government programme, filed with the TSE, runs to 76 pages and nine pillars, with security as the priority, according to Portal Tela and Acessa:
- Security: classify gangs such as the PCC and Comando Vermelho as narco-terrorist organisations, lower the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 and create an Armed Forces unit to patrol the borders.
- Taxes: cut taxes and red tape, with reductions on electricity and fuel.
- State: eliminate ten ministries and political appointments, and review the federal pact.
- Jobs: the Minha Primeira Empresa programme to encourage entrepreneurship and formal work.
- Infrastructure: invest R$ 900 billion over four years in roads, ports, airports, railways and waterways.
- Political rules: in a TV Globo interview he backed ending presidential re-election.
The rachadinhas case
The main legal controversy of his career is the *rachadinhas* case, a Rio prosecutors' investigation into the alleged kickback of staff salaries from his office when he was a state deputy. In 2021 the Superior Court of Justice annulled the evidence, and in May 2022 Rio's Court of Justice unanimously dismissed the charges, InfoMoney reported. In February 2025, Supreme Court justice Gilmar Mendes rejected a request to reopen the case, according to Poder360. Flávio has always denied the accusations.
The race against Lula
The election pits two opposing projects against each other: Flávio promises a smaller state, lower taxes and a hard line on crime; Lula, a more active state, regulation of digital platforms and a new Public Security ministry. The president's profile is in Lula da Silva: who he is, his governments and proposals, and the results and polls in Brazil's 2026 runoff.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Flávio Bolsonaro?
He has been a senator for Rio de Janeiro since 2019, is Jair Bolsonaro's eldest son and the PL's presidential candidate in Brazil in 2026.
How old is Flávio Bolsonaro?
He is 45: he was born on April 30, 1981, in Resende, Rio de Janeiro.
Who is his running mate?
Alfredo Gaspar, of the PL.
How much did he get in the first round?
47.03% of valid votes, 56,104,503 votes, first place.
What happened with the rachadinhas case?
The charges were dismissed in 2022 after the evidence was annulled, and in 2025 the Supreme Court refused to reopen it.
