According to BBC News, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has secured a fourth term as President of Brazil after defeating right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro in a runoff election. Lula achieved 51.79% of the vote, reversing his first-round deficit where Bolsonaro led with 47% compared to Lula's 45%. This marks the first time since Brazil returned to civilian rule in 1985 that a presidential candidate won after losing the initial round.
What happened
Lula celebrated his win in São Paulo, describing it as a triumph for democracy. Flávio Bolsonaro has refused to accept the outcome and called for the election to be annulled. His challenge focuses on a decision by Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin to extend voting nationwide by two hours. Although Bolsonaro's supporters alleged bias, both campaigns had requested extensions due to extreme weather and transport shortages. Supreme Electoral Court President Kássio Nunes Marques confirmed Lula's victory, stating the extended hours did not change the final outcome.
Key facts
- Lula won by a margin of 4.4 million votes, becoming the first person in Brazilian history to be elected president four times.
- The new presidential term starts on January 5 and will run through 2030.
- Following the election result, the São Paulo stock exchange dropped 15% at opening before recovering slightly, and interest rate futures rose.
- Flávio Bolsonaro posted a video stating that police ordered him to surrender his passports and banned him from leaving the country. Further details regarding police actions are not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
- Flávio's father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence over a conviction linked to a coup attempt after the 2022 election.
Why it matters
According to BBC News, Lula's political comeback bucked a recent trend in Latin America where voters have increasingly favored right-wing candidates. However, Lula faces immediate governance hurdles, including a deeply divided electorate and a hostile Congress filled with Bolsonaro allies. Global leaders from Canada, France, Mexico, South Africa, and the European Commission congratulated Lula, while US President Donald Trump claimed without providing evidence that the election appeared rigged. Lula responded to foreign pressure during his speech by asserting that Brazil would maintain its sovereignty.
Source: BBC News · Published October 26, 2026 · Photo by Barnabas Lartey-Odoi Tetteh on Unsplash