Lula Claims Fourth Term With 51.79% of Vote, Defying Bolsonaro Son

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won 51.79% of the vote in Sunday's presidential runoff, securing a fourth term in office and defeating right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro. The result gives Lula a 4.4 million vote lead over his opponent and makes him the first leader in the country's history to win four separate terms. He will serve until 2030.

The victory came after a chaotic polling process that ended with a two-hour extension ordered by the Supreme Court just before closing time. Lula’s team cited a lack of buses in São Paulo and Bahia, while Flávio Bolsonaro’s camp pointed to heavy rain in the south and the capital. The late decision left some already-closed stations unable to reopen. Supreme Court President Kassio Nunes Marques, who was appointed by former president Jair Bolsonaro, confirmed the results and stated the extension did not disrupt the count.

Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of convicted former president Jair Bolsonaro, has refused to recognize the outcome. He called for the election to be annulled, describing the result as inexplicable and impossible. Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for a coup attempt, was preparing a victory speech before the results were finalized. Electoral experts noted that annulment is unlikely due to the wide margin of victory and fixed constitutional dates. Fernando Neisser of the Institute of Lawyers of São Paulo described the legal path as difficult, while Alberto Rollo pointed to constitutional constraints.

Lula’s win marks a dramatic reversal from the first round on 4 October, when Flávio Bolsonaro led with 47% of the vote against Lula’s 45%. The second round saw the largest drop in voter abstention between rounds since 1989. Lula’s campaign focused on mobilizing the 33 million people who did not vote in the first round. The 81-year-old former metal worker told crowds in São Paulo that this term would be the best in the country’s history and that he would listen most to the Brazilian people.

Vice President Geraldo Alckmin told Lula that he had saved Brazilian democracy for the second time. Lula also addressed international tensions, specifically the influence of US President Donald Trump, who has supported Jair Bolsonaro. Lula said Brazil would not accept being anyone’s backyard, referencing Trump’s stated goal of US dominance in the Western Hemisphere. Flávio Bolsonaro met with Trump at the White House earlier this year to seek support.

Lula’s victory runs counter to recent political trends in Latin America, where right-wing candidates have won power in Argentina, Chile, and Colombia. World leaders quickly offered congratulations. Ecuador President Daniel Noboa Azin emphasized shared challenges in the region. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said democracy and multilateralism had won. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called it a great victory for global progressivism, while French President Emmanuel Macron urged closer ties for a more just world. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described the win as a victory for the global south.

Lula will turn 81 on Tuesday. His new term begins on 5 January. The election result was confirmed by the Supreme Court, which validated the process despite the last-minute extension and the opposition's calls for a new count.