Lula Secures Fourth Term in Brazil Runoff Upset

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva claimed a fourth presidential term on Sunday after the Superior Electoral Court declared him the winner of the runoff. The court announced the result shortly after 9 p.m. Brasilia time, with counting still in progress. Lula secured more than 64 million ballots, representing over 51 percent of the vote. His opponent, right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, received more than 59 million ballots, or 48 percent of the total. The final margin between the two candidates exceeded 4 million votes.

This victory marks the first instance in modern Brazilian history where a politician won a presidential runoff after losing the initial round. Lula, an 80-year-old former metalworkers’ union leader, is set to take office on January 5, 2027. This date will see him surpass his own record as the oldest president sworn in since Brazil returned to democracy.

Flavio Bolsonaro refused to concede the election immediately. He stated that he would seek to annul the outcome, citing a Supreme Court decision that extended voting hours by two. Both campaigns had requested this additional time, keeping polling stations open until 7 p.m. Brasilia time. Bolsonaro accused the court of altering the rules during the election and declared that he could not accept the result.

Lula addressed supporters at a podium decorated with flags, speaking with a hoarse voice and coughing. He thanked voters for defending democracy while acknowledging the legislative hurdles he faces. "I do not choose the Congress," he said. "It was the people who chose it, and it is with them that I will vote, work and get things approved." His next term will confront the most right-wing Congress in recent memory.

The runoff followed a first round on October 4, where Lula received 45 percent of the vote against Bolsonaro’s 47 percent. Since then, Lula focused on living costs, promoting a constitutional amendment passed this month to shorten the workweek. He also raised the prospect of free public transport on weekends. Despite declining poverty and low unemployment during his previous term, rising household debt drove economic dissatisfaction. In September, he banned online gambling and sports betting apps.

The election was marked by disruptions and allegations of voter suppression. Reports of suspended public transport in some areas led Lula’s allies to accuse Bolsonaro supporters of limiting bus services to discourage working-class voters. Heavy rainfall also affected southern regions that are traditional Bolsonaro strongholds. The victory interrupts a series of presidential gains by the regional right in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador.

International reactions varied, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum congratulating Lula. US Senator Bernie Sanders welcomed the re-election as extraordinary. Relations with Washington remain uncertain, as 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. Jair Bolsonaro, whom Lula defeated in 2022, has since received a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup.