The two soft-left contenders, Ciro Gomes and Anthony Garotinho, were fading away.

ECONOMIST: Brazil's election

Several other challengers, such as Itamar Franco, Mr Cardoso's quirky predecessor, and Ciro Gomes, a soft-left former state governor, seem to be fading.

ECONOMIST: Politics in Brazil

But the big test will come if the election is won by either of the two left-of-centre candidates, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Ciro Gomes.

ECONOMIST: Saved | The