Lula Defeats Bolsonaro 51.79% to 48.21% in Brazil

Brazil's incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the presidential election held on October 25. He will become the country's president for a fourth, non-consecutive term.

According to the final data of Brazil's Superior Electoral Court, Lula received 51.79% of the votes, while his rival, right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro, received 48.21%. 64.25 million voters supported Lula, while 59.82 million voted for Bolsonaro.

According to Reuters, this is an unprecedented result in Brazil's modern electoral history: since 1989, when direct presidential elections were restored in the country, Lula is the first candidate who won the second round after trailing in the first round. In the first round held on October 4, Bolsonaro received 47.03% of the votes, while Lula received 45.16%.

The 80-year-old Lula already led Brazil in 2003-2010. He returned to the presidency in 2023, after defeating Jair Bolsonaro in the 2022 elections.

According to the Associated Press, after the victory Lula promised that he would be the president of all Brazilians and focused attention on the country's sovereignty. His victory means the continuation of a left-wing political course in Brazil, at a time when right-wing forces have recently achieved success in several Latin American countries.

Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, does not agree with the election results. According to AFP, he stated that he demands the annulment of the election results.

Lula will begin his new presidential term on January 5, 2027.