Lula claims fourth term after winning Brazil runoff

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva secured a fourth non-consecutive term on Sunday after winning the presidential runoff. The Superior Electoral Court announced his victory shortly after 9 p.m. Brasilia time. With counting still in progress, Lula held more than 51 percent of the vote and over 64 million ballots. Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the runner-up, received 48 percent of the vote and more than 59 million ballots. The difference between the two candidates exceeded 4 million votes.

This outcome marks a historic shift in Brazilian politics. Lula becomes the first politician in the modern era to win a runoff after trailing in the first round. He will assume office on January 5, 2027, becoming the oldest president sworn in since Brazil returned to democracy. The 80-year-old former union leader faces a legislative environment that is the most right-leaning in recent memory.

Lula addressed supporters from a podium decorated with flags, speaking with a hoarse voice and coughing intermittently. He credited voters for defending the democratic process while acknowledging the difficulty of passing legislation with the current Congress. "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."

Flavio Bolsonaro refused to concede defeat immediately. He stated he would seek to annul the election outcome, specifically challenging a Supreme Court decision that extended voting hours by two hours. Both campaigns had requested additional time, and polling stations stayed open until 7 p.m. Brasilia time. Bolsonaro accused the court of altering rules during the election, saying he could not accept the result.

The decision to extend voting followed reports of disruption and allegations of voter suppression. Public transport was suspended in some areas, leading Lula’s allies to accuse Bolsonaro supporters of limiting bus services to discourage working-class voters. Heavy rainfall also impacted southern regions that are traditional strongholds for the Bolsonaro campaign.

Lula entered the runoff with 45 percent of the vote in the October 4 first round, behind Bolsonaro’s 47 percent. During the campaign, Lula focused on living costs and promoted a constitutional amendment passed this month to shorten the workweek. He also raised the prospect of free public transport on weekends. Despite lower poverty and unemployment rates during his previous term, rising household debt fueled economic dissatisfaction. In September, he banned online gambling and sports betting apps.

International reactions were swift. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum congratulated Lula, while US Senator Bernie Sanders called the re-election extraordinary. The victory interrupts a recent series of presidential gains by right-wing leaders in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Relations with Washington remain uncertain, as the Trump administration previously supported the Bolsonaro family and imposed 50-percent tariffs on certain Brazilian products to halt the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Jair Bolsonaro, who lost to Lula in 2022, has since received a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup.