President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won re-election in Brazil, securing a fourth, nonconsecutive term after defeating right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro in a closely contested presidential runoff.
The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) declared Lula the winner on Sunday, October 25, with the final count showing 51.79% of valid votes, against 48.21% for Bolsonaro. Lula received 64.26 million votes, compared with 59.83 million for his rival, a margin of approximately 4.43 million votes.
The result marks a historic comeback for Lula, who finished second in the first round on October 4, when Bolsonaro received 47.03% of valid votes against Lula’s 45.16%. Lula’s victory makes him the first candidate to win a Brazilian presidential runoff after finishing second in the opening round, according to reports on the election.
The outcome is a setback for the Bolsonaro family. Flávio, a senator and eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, had sought to bring his family back to the presidency.
Lula previously governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010 before returning to office in 2023. He is scheduled to begin his new term on January 5, 2027.
