Lula wins fourth term in Brazil runoffWorld

The result makes the 80-year-old leftist leader the first Brazilian president to be elected to the office four times. It also marks the first time since the return of direct presidential elections in 1989 that a candidate has won the presidency after finishing second in the first round.

In the first round on October 4, Bolsonaro secured about 47 percent of the vote to Lula’s 45 percent, according to Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court, a margin of around 2.2 million votes. Neither candidate reached the majority needed to win outright, forcing the runoff.

<h2>Disputed finish and a legal challenge</h2> Bolsonaro said he would not accept the result and would seek to have the election annulled. Speaking to supporters in the capital, Brasília, he said: &#8220;It is impossible to recognize the election result given how these events unfolded. We will take legal action. We will ask for this election to be annulled.&#8221;

His objection centres on a decision to extend voting by two hours on election day. Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin granted the extension after last-minute pleas from both campaigns. Lula&#8217;s campaign cited incidents affecting buses transporting voters in several states, while Bolsonaro&#8217;s campaign pointed to difficulties voters faced reaching polling stations because of heavy rain.

The extension order came at around 5 p.m. in Brasília, just as polls were scheduled to close.

<h2>A campaign dominated by prices, crime and corruption</h2> The runoff capped a deeply polarised race dominated by concerns over the cost of living, crime and corruption. A September survey by Quaest/Pax found that 28 percent of Brazilians saw violence as the country&#8217;s biggest problem, followed by corruption at 22 percent and the economy at 19 percent.

Women, who account for nearly 53 percent of registered voters, were a crucial group in the contest. An October 15 Datafolha survey put Lula ahead among women by 49 percent to 40 percent, while Bolsonaro led among men by 52 percent to 40 percent.

Lula&#8217;s victory stands out against a broader rightward shift across Latin America, where presidential elections since April 2025 in Ecuador, Bolivia, Honduras, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia and Peru have produced victories for right-wing or centre-right candidates.

Leaders from across the region congratulated Lula, including the presidents of Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia and Cuba, who praised what they described as a democratic celebration and a victory for the Brazilian people.

He had praised Flávio Bolsonaro&#8217;s first-round performance but stopped short of formally endorsing him. Lula, who has frequently criticised the US administration, has emphasised Brazil&#8217;s sovereignty and closer ties with the Global South and China, Brazil&#8217;s largest export market.

After his victory was declared, Lula said his campaign had convinced people that voting was extremely important to safeguard democracy in Brazil, adding: &#8220;Brazil is no one&#8217;s backyard.&#8221;

With a more conservative Congress and a narrow margin of victory, Lula now faces the task of governing a country that remains deeply divided.