Final showdown: Lula and Flávio face off in the last debate before the second round

A presidential debate is a live meeting where candidates answer questions, defend proposals, and challenge one another before voters. It matters because viewers can compare the candidates directly, rather than relying only on campaign messages or separate interviews.

This debate is the last one before the second-round election on Sunday (25). Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro will meet at Estúdios Globo, in Rio de Janeiro, with journalist César Tralli moderating. The broadcast begins at 21h20, after Jornal Nacional, and will air live on TV Globo.

The timing gives both candidates their final television confrontation before voting. The program will use four blocks, including regional and production-selected topics, a free-topic section, and closing remarks. A new podium rule will also shape the exchange. The debate therefore combines campaign messaging, direct confrontation, and final appeals to voters.

The debate is organized into four blocks of questions and answers, followed by the candidates’ final considerations. This structure gives the program several focused stages instead of one uninterrupted discussion. It also lets voters hear responses on both planned subjects and issues chosen by the candidates.

In the first three blocks, Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro will discuss matters connected to Brazil’s regions and topics selected by the production team. The article does not list the specific regional subjects or themes. In the fourth block, the candidates will choose the topic themselves, creating the most open part of the encounter.

The format matters because it balances control and flexibility. Production-defined themes can direct attention to priority issues, while the free block allows each candidate to emphasize a preferred concern. After these four sections, both will make closing remarks before the debate ends.

In this article, Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro are the two candidates competing for Brazil’s presidency in the 2026 second round. They are the central actors in the final televised debate before voters go to the polls. The text presents them as opposing campaign figures who will confront proposals and accusations directly.

The article refers to Lula as “the president” when describing the previous Band debate. It identifies Flávio Bolsonaro as a candidate and reports that he positioned himself behind Lula during that encounter. It does not state party affiliations, formal movements, or a fuller biography for either candidate.

That limited identification is enough to explain why the debate matters: only these two candidates remain in the presidential contest described. Their final meeting will be moderated by César Tralli and broadcast by TV Globo. The winner will be determined by Sunday’s second-round vote, though the article does not provide their platforms.

A second round, or runoff, is a later election held when the presidential contest proceeds to a final stage between the leading candidates. Its purpose is to produce a direct choice between the remaining contenders. The article uses “second round” but does not explain the legal conditions that trigger it.

In this case, the two candidates are Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro. The article says they will face one another in the final presidential debate before voting on Sunday (25). It also calls the event the last opportunity to confront proposals directly on television before the election.

The runoff makes the Friday debate especially consequential for the campaign. It is scheduled for 21h20 on TV Globo, after Jornal Nacional, and will feature four blocks and closing remarks. The article provides the immediate setting, but not the first-round vote totals or the exact reason these two advanced.

The main change is physical, not a new subject or question format. When one candidate is speaking, the other must remain at that candidate’s own podium. This limits movement around the studio and creates a more controlled visual exchange.

The rule was requested by Lula’s campaign after Flávio positioned himself behind Lula during the Band debate on Sunday (18). That earlier encounter included accusations between the two candidates. Under the new arrangement, a candidate cannot move behind the speaker while waiting to respond, reducing that kind of direct visual pressure.

The effect will be a more fixed debate setup. Viewers should see each candidate speaking from a designated position, while the moderator manages the four blocks and final remarks. The rule does not change who answers questions or what subjects may be discussed. It changes how candidates occupy the studio during the confrontation.

TSE stands for Tribunal Superior Eleitoral, Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court. It is the institution associated with administering and judging electoral matters. The source refers to the TSE in connection with a dispute that followed the earlier debate, although it does not describe the court’s decision or procedure.

During the Band debate, Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro exchanged accusations and began a dispute over opening bank, tax, and telephone records. The article says that this dispute later reached the TSE. In practical terms, that means an argument linked to the presidential contest moved beyond the candidates’ public confrontation and into the electoral justice system.

The records issue adds legal tension to the final debate. However, the article does not say whether the TSE ordered disclosure, rejected a request, or took another action. It only establishes that the dispute reached the court. The new debate will therefore occur against a background of unresolved accusations and institutional conflict.

In a presidential runoff, voters choose among the candidates who remain after the earlier election stage. Election officials count the valid votes for each finalist. The candidate receiving more valid votes than the other finalist becomes the winner and takes the presidency, according to the standard runoff mechanism.

Applied here, the final contest is between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro, with voting scheduled for Sunday (25). After polls close, official results are counted and published by the TSE. The article says Brasil Paralelo will follow the count using official TSE data, analyses, and new Prumo projections.

The source does not provide vote totals or describe technical counting rules. It does state that the first-round coverage had a projection after about 20% of the count, with a probability of accuracy above 80%. For the runoff, the decisive fact will be which finalist receives more valid votes when counting is complete.