Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has secured a historic fourth term in office after defeating right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a closely contested presidential runoff election held on Sunday, October 25, 2026. Official results showed Lula winning approximately 51.8 per cent of the votes against Bolsonaro’s 48.2 per cent, representing a margin of about 4.4 million votes. The victory marks a remarkable political comeback for the 80-year-old President, who had finished behind his opponent in the first round of voting earlier in October.
However, Bolsonaro, the 45-year-old son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, rejected the outcome and announced plans to seek the annulment of the election. His objection followed a controversial Supreme Court decision extending voting by two hours after complaints about disruptions to public transportation and heavy rainfall in parts of the country. Although both campaigns had requested additional voting time under different circumstances, Bolsonaro subsequently criticised the nationwide extension, describing it as unacceptable and questioning the credibility of the electoral process. The defeated candidate indicated that his legal team would challenge the results.
Lula’s victory sparked celebrations among supporters in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, with the President describing the outcome as a triumph for democracy. His re-election is particularly significant because he became the first candidate since Brazil’s return to democratic presidential elections in 1989 to overcome a first-round defeat and win the runoff. Despite the victory, Lula faces a deeply divided electorate, a largely right-wing Congress and continuing concerns over living costs, crime and economic conditions. The threatened legal challenge also raises the prospect of further political tensions as Brazil prepares for his fourth term.
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