In brief
In a stunning comeback, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva captured a fourth term with 51.79% of the vote, defeating right‑wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro. The race saw an unprecedented two‑hour polling extension on Sunday, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court. Despite Bolsonaro’s calls for annulment, legal experts view the challenge as unlikely. Lula’s victory solidifies his historic return and signals a shift from the right‑leaning trend seen in other Latin American elections.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term in a dramatic comeback over his right‑wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro. The left‑wing leader captured 51.79% of the vote, becoming the first president since 1985 to win after losing the first round.
Lula addressed celebratory crowds, declaring the election a “loss for negativity, lies” and affirming his commitment to democracy. Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, has yet to accept the result and has urged its annulment, a move viewed as unlikely by electoral experts.
An unprecedented two‑hour poll extension was ordered by the Supreme Court on Sunday evening. Lula’s campaign cited transportation shortages for voters in São Paulo and Bahia, while Bolsonaro’s side pointed to heavy rain in the south and São Paulo as reasons for the request. The extension took effect as most stations closed, but the court confirmed that the extended hours would not affect the vote count.
The final tally gave Lula 51.79% against Bolsonaro’s 48.21%, a margin of 4.4 million votes. Supreme Court President Kassio Nunes Marques, appointed by the older Bolsonaro, confirmed the result and stated the extension had no impact on the electoral process.
The outcome came as a surprise after Bolsonaro topped the first round with 47% to Lula’s 45%, yet failures in turnout allowed Lula to rally significant support for the second round. The September vote saw the largest decline in abstention since 1989.
Lula’s victory celebration unfolded on the streets of São Paulo, where he declared, “My fourth term will be the best of any president in this country, the one where I listen most to the people.” Vice‑President Geraldo Alckmin applauded Lula’s role in preserving democracy.
While Bolsonaro had planned to deliver a victory speech, he was thrust aside as Lula entered the arena. The result triggers objections from Bolsonaro and calls for a legal challenge, but experts note that the large margin and constitutional election dates make an annulment unlikely.
Lula’s age—81—places him in his third non‑consecutive term, with the new tenure commencing on 5 January and running until 2030. His win is a rare left‑wing triumph amid a broader right‑wing surge across Latin America. International leaders from Ecuador, the European Union, Spain, France, and South Africa have issued congratulations, underscoring the global significance of the result.
