FORMER Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro faces being barred from standing for office for eight years after his country’s electoral court began ruling today on charges linked to his unfounded allegations against the voting system.

The Superior Electoral Tribunal is deciding whether the far-right politician abused his office and misused state media when, in July last year, he told a meeting of foreign diplomats that Brazil's electronic voting machines were subject to large-scale fraud.

Prosecutors argue that the claim violated electoral law, as it took place during campaigning for the October 2022 elections.