BOGOTA, October 26 — Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won a fourth non-consecutive presidential term after defeating Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in a closely contested runoff election.
According to Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE), Lula secured 51.76 per cent of valid votes, compared with 48.24 per cent for Bolsonaro, giving the incumbent a lead of more than four million votes, BERNAMA reported via Anadolu Ajansi.
The result marks a significant milestone in Brazil’s modern electoral history. Since the country introduced its two-round presidential election system in 1989, Lula has become the first candidate to win a runoff after finishing second in the first round.
Lula Overcomes First-Round Defeat
In the first round held on October 4, Bolsonaro led with 47.03 per cent of valid votes, while Lula received 45.16 per cent.
The outcome set the stage for a closely fought campaign over the following three weeks as both candidates sought support across Latin America’s largest country.
Lula’s victory also represents a setback for the Bolsonaro family. Flavio Bolsonaro, a 45-year-old senator and the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, had sought to return his family to the country’s highest office.
Vote Count Shifts Before Lula Takes the Lead
The lead changed several times during the early stages of vote counting before Lula moved ahead as more ballots were counted, including votes from urban centres and Brazil’s heavily populated Northeast.
Lula previously served as president from 2003 to 2010 before returning to office in 2023 following his victory in the 2022 election.
He is scheduled to begin his fourth term on January 5, 2027.
Source: BERNAMA | Rewritten By Minutesmy
Picture Credit : Al Jazeera
