Lula Claims Fourth Term in Brazil With 51.79% of Vote

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term as president of Brazil, securing 51.79% of the vote against right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro. The margin of victory was 4.4 million votes. Lula becomes the first Brazilian president to win four terms since civilian rule resumed in 1985.

The result follows a two-hour extension of voting on Sunday evening. Supreme Court President Kassio Nunes Marques approved the extension after both campaigns requested it. Lula’s team cited a lack of buses in São Paulo and Bahia, while Bolsonaro’s campaign pointed to heavy rain in the south and São Paulo. Some polling stations had already closed and could not reopen. Nunes Marques, who was appointed by Jair Bolsonaro, confirmed that the extension did not disrupt the count.

Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of convicted former president Jair Bolsonaro, has refused to concede the defeat. He called for the result to be annulled, describing the outcome as "inexplicable" and "impossible." Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for a coup attempt, agreed that the result should be annulled. Legal experts note that the margin of victory makes annulment unlikely. Fernando Neisser of the Institute of Lawyers of São Paulo stated that the legal path is difficult given the size of the gap. Alberto Rollo added that constitutional dates for elections complicate any effort to reverse the outcome.

Lula’s victory came after a surprise first round on October 4, when Flávio Bolsonaro won 47% of the vote against Lula’s 45%. Lula’s campaign focused on reducing abstention in the runoff. The drop in non-voters between the two rounds was the largest since 1989. Lula, who turns 81 on Tuesday, told crowds in São Paulo that this would be the best of his four terms. He stated he would listen most closely to the Brazilian people during this period.

Vice President Geraldo Alckmin congratulated Lula, saying he had saved Brazilian democracy for the second time. Lula used his victory speech to address foreign policy, specifically the "Donroe Doctrine" proposed by US President Donald Trump. Lula insisted that Brazil "will not accept being anyone's backyard." Trump, who has supported Jair Bolsonaro, had yet to react to the result as of Sunday evening.

International leaders have begun to respond. 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. French President Emmanuel Macron said France and Brazil should work together for a more just world. Ecuador President Daniel Noboa Azin said the region has common enemies and shared challenges. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa framed the win as a victory for the global south.

Lula’s new term begins on January 5, 2026, and will last until 2030. He previously served two terms from 2003 to 2010 and resumed office in January 2023. The campaign was marked by animosity between Lula and Donald Trump, who has supported Jair Bolsonaro. Jair Bolsonaro met with Trump at the White House earlier this year to seek backing for his son.