Lula Beats Flavio Bolsonaro in Brazil Election
Brazil’s electoral court called the race for Lula after he won more than 51 percent of the vote; Bolsonaro refused to concede.
At a glance
- Lula defeated Flavio Bolsonaro in Brazil’s presidential runoff, securing more than 51 percent of the vote.
- The Superior Electoral Court called the race for Lula on Sunday night; Bolsonaro refused to concede and plans a legal challenge.
- Lula will begin a fourth non-consecutive term on January 5, 2027, becoming Brazil’s oldest president since the return to democracy.
Leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won Brazil’s presidential runoff, defeating right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro. Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court called the race for Lula shortly after 9 p.m. Brasilia time on Sunday, with Lula securing more than 51 percent of the vote against Bolsonaro’s 48 percent. More than 64 million ballots were cast for the incumbent.
The victory marks a historic comeback. Lula is the first politician in modern Brazilian history to lose the first round and still win the second. At 80, he will be sworn in on January 5, 2027, becoming the oldest Brazilian president to take office since the country’s return to democracy. It will be his unprecedented fourth non-consecutive term.
In a hoarse victory speech, Lula acknowledged a difficult road ahead with a right-leaning Congress. He said he would work with voters to pass his agenda and thanked those who cast ballots to secure democracy. Workers’ Party head Edinho Silva called the result a historic turning point for democracy.
Flavio Bolsonaro has refused to concede and is preparing a likely court challenge. He accused the Supreme Court of changing the rules mid-game by extending voting hours and said he would seek to annul the result. Both campaigns had asked the top court for an extension, and Justice Cristiano Zanin ruled that polls remain open until 7 p.m. Brasilia time.
The vote was marred by allegations of voter suppression. Lula’s allies said Bolsonaro supporters reduced bus availability in some areas to limit turnout among working-class voters. Heavy rains also affected southern regions considered Bolsonaro strongholds.
International leaders welcomed the outcome. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the people of Brazil had won, while U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders called Lula’s re-election extraordinary and pledged continued support for Brazilian workers and democracy.
The result denies a crucial victory to the region’s right wing, which has won recent presidential races in countries including Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia and Ecuador. U.S. President Donald Trump, back in office since January 2025, has been openly supportive of the Bolsonaro family. His son, Donald Trump Jr., questioned the voting extension, while U.S. Representative Ro Khanna urged Trump to respect the result.
Lula’s fourth term could be constrained by the most right-wing Congress in recent memory. He previously served two consecutive terms from 2002 to 2010 and a third term in 2022. His 2022 opponent, former President Jair Bolsonaro—Flavio’s father—has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- Who won Brazil’s presidential election?
- Leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defeated right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in the runoff, earning more than 51 percent of the vote.
- Why has Flavio Bolsonaro refused to concede?
- He accused the Supreme Court of changing the rules by extending voting hours and said he would seek to annul the election result.
- When will Lula be sworn in?
- Lula is scheduled to be sworn in on January 5, 2027, for an unprecedented fourth non-consecutive term as Brazil’s president.
