Union leader set for re-election in Brazil

Brazilians are poised to re-elect their first working-class president tomorrow, a poor farmer’s son who became a radical union leader and has governed as a centrist, stunning the world by stabilising a notoriously unpredictable economy and bringing millions out of poverty without raising taxes.

However, president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been battered by corruption allegations almost certain to haunt him through a second four-year term.

Accusations of political dirty tricks and illegal campaign spending forced him to fire his campaign manager days before the election.

Federal arrest warrants are in effect for five of his party members and a long-time aide.

The scandals haven’t directly touched the man known to all as Lula, and haven’t hurt him in the polls, which show him gaining 59% of the valid votes - enough for an outright win without a runoff.