In brief
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term in a dramatic turn‑of‑event election, overturning an unexpected first-round defeat. The final tally gave Lula 51.79% of the vote against Flávio Bolsonaro’s 48.21%, a 4.4‑million‑vote margin. Bolsonaro’s campaign has yet to accept the result, calling for annulment, but legal experts deem it unlikely. Lula’s win comes as global leaders congratulate the left‑wing leader and Brazil faces new domestic and international challenges.
Lula’s historic comeback shocks Brazil
Lula secured a victory that was foreseen as improbable when the first round of voting saw him behind the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. The subsequent polling extensions and a turnout that dropped the lowest abstention rates since 1989 were critical to Lula’s edge.
After the official announcement, the president addressed thousands of supporters on the streets of São Paulo, declaring the victory a loss for negativity, lies and a triumph for democracy. Vice‑President Geraldo Alckmin joined him, praising Lula as a saviour of Brazilian democracy.
Bolsonaro’s refusal to accept the result has led to legal disputes, but election experts note that the decisive margin makes an annulment unlikely.
Lula’s fourth term, set to start on 5 January, carries unique burdens as he faces opposition from a hostile Congress and scrutiny from global leaders. The United States, European states and other Latin American nations have already congratulated Lula, signalling diverging geopolitical currents.
