Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a historic fourth presidential term, defeating Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former president Jair Bolsonaro, in Sunday's election run-off. The victory makes the 80-year-old the first Brazilian president to secure four terms in office, although his previous terms were not consecutive.
According to Brazil's Superior Electoral Court, Lula secured 51.79% of the valid votes, or 64.26 million votes, against Flavio Bolsonaro's 48.21%, or 59.83 million votes. The final margin was approximately 4.43 million votes.
The result marks a remarkable comeback for Lula, who returned to the presidency in 2022 after a period away from power that included 580 days in prison. His latest victory also makes him the first candidate since Brazil's military dictatorship ended in 1985 to trail in the first round of a presidential election and subsequently win the run-off.
Lula's fourth term is scheduled to begin on January 5, 2027. His supporters gathered in São Paulo following the announcement, where the veteran leader was expected to address the crowd.
Lula reverses first-round deficit with renewed campaign
Lula's victory followed an intensive campaign overhaul after the first round of voting on October 4, when he trailed Flavio Bolsonaro by approximately 2.2 million votes.
The incumbent president, who will turn 81 soon, reorganised his campaign to reach undecided voters and younger Brazilians. He held a series of rallies that drew large crowds, while supporters conducted door-to-door outreach to persuade voters to back him in the run-off.
Much of the revised campaign focused on the record of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Under the banner “Never Again Bolsonaro”, Lula's rallies highlighted criticism of the former president's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, cuts to public programmes and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.
Lula also changed his approach to digital campaigning. Despite never having used a smartphone before, he bought one and began taking selfies and recording videos with supporters. The informal content circulated widely on Brazilian social media, helping the campaign engage younger voters.
Another boost came from the involvement of federal deputy André Janones, who created a WhatsApp group called “Exército de Lula”, or “Lula's Army”. The group reportedly brought together more than 10 million people and helped amplify the campaign's online reach.
The combination of rallies, digital outreach and grassroots mobilisation helped Lula overcome his first-round deficit and secure victory in the final vote.
Voting extension triggers controversy
The election was also marked by confusion over voting hours after Lula's campaign approached Brazil's Supreme Court, alleging that problems with public transport had prevented some voters from reaching polling stations. It sought an extension of voting hours to allow those voters to cast their ballots.
Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin approved an extension of voting until 7 pm local time, two hours beyond the scheduled closing time. The decision came after vote counting had already begun, prompting the process to be paused while voting continued.
Flavio Bolsonaro's campaign had also sought extensions in some areas because of heavy rain. However, his camp objected to the nationwide extension after Zanin's decision.
The move became a flashpoint between the two campaigns, with supporters of Flavio questioning the decision and alleging that it could affect the result. Pro-Bolsonaro lawmaker Nikolas Ferreira wrote on X: “Either we win. Or we win. Consider yourself warned.”
The extension was unprecedented in a Brazilian presidential election. Election authorities, however, declared Lula the winner after the votes were counted.
Flavio Bolsonaro refuses to concede
Flavio Bolsonaro has refused to accept defeat and said he would seek to have the election annulled, challenging the decision to extend voting hours.
His position raises the prospect of a legal dispute over the outcome, although the election authorities have confirmed Lula's victory. The final count gave Lula 64,256,232 votes against Flavio's 59,826,041.
The contest reflected deep divisions in Brazilian politics, including disagreements over economic policy, social welfare, public security, corruption, environmental protection and the country's relationship with the United States.
Lula's campaign emphasised the protection of democracy and social programmes, while Flavio appealed to voters seeking political change, lower taxes and stronger public security. Concerns about the record of his father, Jair Bolsonaro, also featured prominently in Lula's campaign.
The result keeps Latin America's largest economy under left-wing leadership and represents a setback for the broader right-wing political movement in the region.
From first presidential bid to historic fourth term
Lula first ran for Brazil's presidency in 1989 but had to wait until 2002 to secure his first victory. He won re-election in 2006, serving two consecutive terms from 2003 to 2011.
His political career subsequently suffered a major setback when he was imprisoned for 580 days. His convictions were later annulled, allowing him to return to electoral politics. In 2022, he defeated then-president Jair Bolsonaro to win a third presidential term.
His latest victory extends a political career spanning several decades and marks another return to power after a fiercely contested election.
The final result was also significant because Flavio had led the first round, making Lula's recovery between the two rounds an unusual development in Brazil's presidential elections since the end of military rule.
As Lula prepares to take office in January 2027, he faces the challenge of governing a deeply divided country, with a conservative-leaning Congress and right-wing governors in several states.
His victory campaign has also emphasised national sovereignty amid tensions with the administration of United States President Donald Trump over trade tariffs and broader regional political alignments.
The result gives Lula another mandate, but the dispute over the voting extension and Flavio Bolsonaro's refusal to concede could prolong political tensions in the days ahead.