Lula wins Brazil's runoff, taking a fourth term
With 99.77% of polling stations counted, the president has 51.76% of valid votes, overtaking Flávio Bolsonaro, who won the first round.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Workers' Party (PT) won Brazil's presidential runoff on Sunday, securing a fourth term. With 99.77% of polling stations counted, the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) tally gives him 51.76% of valid votes to 48.24% for Flávio Bolsonaro, a Liberal Party (PL) senator and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
That is about 64.1 million votes to 59.7 million, a margin of 4.35 million. Flávio led early, with 50.44% once 30.82% of stations had reported. Lula passed him at 48.42% counted, by roughly 41,000 votes, and by 98.27% the result was considered irreversible.
It was a comeback. Flávio won the first round on Oct. 4, with 47.03% to Lula's 45.16%, and the last polls before the vote had him ahead 51% to 49%, as our coverage of voting day showed.
Voting ended in a dispute. Justice Cristiano Zanin pushed back the national closing time by two hours. He acted at the request of Lula's team, which argued that Salvador, Feira de Santana and Lauro de Freitas lacked public transportation. The Electoral Public Ministry opposed the move.
Rogério Marinho, who runs Flávio's campaign, accused the Supreme Court of "intervention" and spoke of a "judicial coup." São Paulo Gov. Tarcísio de Freitas said the PT was altering the election "because it was certain of defeat." Flávio Bolsonaro has not commented on the result.
At 80, Lula is the first Brazilian to win four presidential elections. He governed from 2003 to 2010 and returned to power in 2023. He takes office Jan. 1, 2027, and Geraldo Alckmin of the PSB remains his vice president.
