Lula Secures Fourth Presidential Term in Brazil After Narrow Runoff Victory

By Staff, Agencies

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth nonconsecutive presidential term after defeating Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in Sunday’s runoff election, according to the Superior Electoral Court [TSE].

With nearly all ballots counted, Lula received 51.76% of the valid votes, compared with 48.24% for Bolsonaro, giving him a lead of more than four million votes.

The result marks a historic moment in Brazil’s modern electoral history. Since the country adopted its two-round presidential election system in 1989, Lula has become the first candidate to win a runoff after finishing second in the first round.

In the initial vote held on October 4, Bolsonaro led with 47.03% of the valid votes, while Lula secured 45.16%. The results set the stage for three weeks of intense campaigning across Latin America’s largest country.

The outcome also ends Flávio Bolsonaro’s bid to return his family to the presidency. The 45-year-old senator, who is the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, had sought to continue his family’s political legacy at the highest level of government.

During the early stages of vote counting, the lead shifted several times before Lula moved ahead as additional ballots were counted, including votes from major urban centers and the densely populated Northeast region.

Lula previously served as president from 2003 to 2010 before returning to office in 2022. He is scheduled to begin his fourth, nonconsecutive term on January 5, 2027.