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Lula Wins Fourth Term After Brazil Runoff Comeback

worldOct 27, 2026·377 words·3 min read

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil's left-wing president, was re-elected on Sunday, October 25, defeating the far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a runoff to secure a historic fourth term. With all votes counted, the electoral court said Lula won about 51.8% of the vote, a lead of nearly 4.4 million votes, according to CBS News. The comeback is striking because Lula, who turns 81 on Tuesday, narrowly lost the first round in early October, when Bolsonaro took 47% to his 45%.

Lula probably won because more of his supporters voted this time. Many of them live far from polling stations, the places where people vote. After the first round, he changed his campaign and talked more to young voters. Flávio's father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, was sentenced to 27 years for planning a coup, an illegal attempt to take power. Flávio promised to fight crime and to work closely with American President Donald Trump.

The result may lead to a court case. Just three minutes before voting ended, a judge gave voters two more hours. Both candidates had asked for this because of bus problems and heavy rain. The decision caused confusion, and Bolsonaro may take legal action. A Bolsonaro ally says the judge was once Lula's lawyer. The Guardian calls the result bad news for Trump, who had hoped Bolsonaro would win.

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