Lula Wins Brazil's Fourth Term

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva secured a fourth presidential term on Sunday after the Superior Electoral Court declared him the winner of Brazil's runoff. The incumbent, who trailed Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in the October 4 first round, received more than 64 million votes, or over 51 percent of the total. Bolsonaro collected more than 59 million votes, or 48 percent, leaving a gap of more than 4 million ballots. The result allows Lula to take office on January 5, 2027, making him the oldest person sworn in as president since Brazil's return to democracy.

Lula addressed the crowd shortly after 9 p.m. Brasilia time, speaking with a hoarse voice and coughing at a podium decorated with national flags. He told supporters that he did not choose the Congress, but that he would work with the lawmakers the people selected to pass legislation. His next four years will be tested by a legislative body described as the most right-wing in recent memory.

Flavio Bolsonaro refused to concede the election and announced he would seek to annul the result. He challenged a Supreme Court decision that extended voting hours by two, accusing the judiciary of changing rules mid-election. Both campaigns had requested the extra time, and polling stations remained open until 7 p.m. Brasilia time. Bolsonaro argued the court’s intervention invalidated the process.

The decision to extend voting followed reports of disruption and voter suppression. Public transport was suspended in some areas, leading Lula’s allies to claim Bolsonaro supporters limited bus services to deter working-class voters. Heavy rainfall also impacted southern regions that traditionally support the right-wing candidate.

Lula campaigned heavily on living costs during the runoff period. He promoted a constitutional amendment passed this month to shorten the workweek and proposed free public transport on weekends. He also banned online gambling and sports betting apps in September. These moves aimed to address economic dissatisfaction driven by rising household debt, even as unemployment remained low and poverty declined during his previous term.

The victory interrupts a recent wave of right-wing presidential gains in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum congratulated Lula, and US Senator Bernie Sanders called the re-election extraordinary. Many of the region’s right-wing leaders had benefited from anti-incumbent sentiment and support from US President Donald Trump.

Relations with Washington remain uncertain. The Trump administration supported the Bolsonaro family and imposed 50 percent tariffs on certain Brazilian products last year to halt the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Judges involved in the case also faced sanctions. Jair Bolsonaro, whom Lula defeated in 2022, is currently serving 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.