Lula overturned his first-round deficit against Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro to secure reelection in Brazil’s Oct. 25 runoff, final results from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) show.
The final count gave Lula 64,256,232 votes, or 51.79% of valid ballots. Bolsonaro received 59,826,041 votes, or 48.21%, the court said. The victory gives Lula a fourth presidential term. He served from 2003 to 2010 and is completing a third mandate that began in 2023, TSE records show.
In the Oct. 4 first round, Bolsonaro received 56,104,268 votes, or 47.03%, while Lula received 53,876,617, or 45.16%, according to TSE results. EconoTimes previewed Bolsonaro’s lead entering the runoff.
Hindustan Times and The National described the result as a first in Brazil’s elections since the country’s return to democracy in the 1980s: a candidate who placed second in the opening round went on to win the presidency.
The TSE said 128.2 million people voted, out of more than 158 million eligible voters, and about 19.2% abstained. The court also said voting could continue until 6 p.m. ET (22:00 UTC) at polling sections where voting was still underway at 4 p.m. ET (20:00 UTC).
The National reported that Lula campaigned on free weekend public transportation nationwide, a proposal that would need to be submitted to Congress. The outlet also reported a 15% increase in his welfare program was already being implemented.
Lula’s next term is scheduled to begin Jan. 5, 2027, according to the TSE election calendar.
