Lula wins historic fourth term as Brazil's president, edging out Flavio Bolsonaro in runoff

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won a fourth, non-consecutive term as president of Brazil, defeating right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro in a closely fought runoff held on Sunday, October 25. Brazil's electoral authority declared Lula the winner after the count was completed in the early hours of Monday, India time.

With all votes counted, Lula secured about 51.8 percent against roughly 48.2 percent for Bolsonaro, according to results reported by CBS News and other outlets. CBS put the winning margin at nearly 4.4 million votes. The result reverses the first round, in which Bolsonaro had finished narrowly ahead.

A tense and polarised campaign

The runoff was the latest chapter in a long rivalry between Lula's left-leaning Workers' Party camp and the Bolsonaro family. Flavio Bolsonaro, a senator and the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, had campaigned on a promise of what he called "real change" after four more years of Lula. His father is under house arrest after being convicted over an attempted coup.

Voting on Sunday was extended by two hours following a ruling by a Supreme Court justice, which also delayed the count. Al Jazeera and CBS News both reported that the extension could become the basis for legal challenges. No formal concession from Bolsonaro had been reported at the time of writing.

Lula, who turns 81 shortly, framed the election partly as a defence of Brazilian sovereignty. During the campaign he criticised the Trump administration, which had imposed steep tariffs on Brazilian exports, and told supporters the country would not be anyone's "backyard". US President Donald Trump said he was following the race but did not endorse a candidate.

What comes next

Lula's new term is due to begin on January 5, 2027. He first led Brazil from 2003 to 2010, later spent time in prison on a corruption conviction that was subsequently annulled, and returned to power after narrowly beating Jair Bolsonaro in 2022. His victory keeps Latin America's largest economy under a left-of-centre government at a time of strained ties with Washington.

Why it matters for India

Brazil is a fellow member of BRICS and the G20 and a key partner for India on trade, agriculture and climate diplomacy. Continuity in Brasilia is likely to mean steady engagement with New Delhi on issues such as reform of global institutions and South-South cooperation, as well as bilateral trade and investment.