Brazil Election: Lula Reverses First-Round Deficit to Win Fourth Term

Brazilian voters on Sunday elected Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to a fourth presidential term, reversing the deficit he held in the initial round. The Superior Electoral Court declared Lula the winner shortly after 9 p.m. Brasilia time, with counting still under way. At that point, Lula had secured more than 61 percent of the vote and over 64 million ballots, while his opponent, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, had received 48 percent and more than 59 million votes. The gap between the two candidates exceeded four million votes.

Lula, an 80-year-old former metalworkers’ union leader, is now the first politician in modern Brazilian history to win a presidential runoff after trailing in the opening round. He is scheduled to take office on January 5, 2027. Upon assuming the role, he will surpass his own record as the oldest president sworn in since Brazil returned to democracy in 1985.

Flavio Bolsonaro refused to concede the defeat. He stated he would seek to annul the outcome, challenging a Supreme Court decision that extended voting hours by two. Both campaigns had requested additional time, and polling stations nationwide remained open until 7 p.m. Bolsonaro accused the court of changing the rules during the election. He cited the extension as a reason he could not accept the result, pointing to alleged disruptions in public transport and heavy rainfall in southern strongholds.

Lula addressed supporters at a podium decorated with flags, speaking hoarsely and coughing. He thanked voters for defending democracy and acknowledged the difficulty of working with the legislature. “I do not choose the Congress,” Lula said. “It was the people who chose it, and it is with them that I will vote, work and get things approved.” His next term will face the most right-wing Congress in recent memory.

The victory follows a campaign where Lula focused on living costs, promoting a constitutional amendment to shorten the workweek and raising the prospect of free public transport on weekends. He entered the runoff after receiving 45 percent of the vote in the October 4 first round, behind Bolsonaro’s 47 percent. Although poverty declined and unemployment remained low during Lula’s third term, rising household debt fueled economic dissatisfaction. In September, he banned online gambling and sports betting apps.

The result interrupts a series of presidential gains by the regional right in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum congratulated Lula, while US Senator Bernie Sanders described the re-election as “extraordinary.” Many of the region’s right-wing leaders have benefited from anti-incumbent sentiment and support from US President Donald Trump.

Relations with Washington remain a source of uncertainty. The Trump administration supported the Bolsonaro family and imposed 50-percent tariffs on certain Brazilian products last year to halt the prosecution of Jair Bolsonaro, Flavio’s father. Jair Bolsonaro, whom Lula defeated in 2022, has since received a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup. Donald Trump Jr. criticized the voting extension on social media, while US Representative Ro Khanna urged the president to respect the outcome.