Lula holds off far right with victory in Brazil presidential election
Leftist president mounts stunning comeback after unexpected first-round loss galvanised supporters of Flavio Bolsonaro.
Leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has defeated right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in Brazil’s contentious presidential race, pulling off a remarkable comeback after a first-round loss that galvanised the country’s political right.
Shortly after 9:00pm Brasilia time (00:00 GMT), Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court called the race for Lula, who had earned more than 51 percent of the vote. More than 64 million ballots were cast for the incumbent.
Bolsonaro, meanwhile, netted 48 percent, or north of 59 million ballots. Just over 2.6 million votes separated the two candidates.
A former union leader for metalworkers, Lula – at age 80 – will be sworn in on January 5, 2027, when he will beat his own record as the oldest Brazilian president to take the oath of office since the country’s return to democracy.