Brazil has chosen continuity. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won the presidential runoff on Sunday, October 25, defeating Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, to secure a fourth term that no Brazilian leader has managed before. With almost every polling station counted, Lula had 51.78% of valid votes against 48.22% for his rival.
The 80-year-old leader of the Workers' Party (PT) won by about 4.4 million votes in a contest that had looked like a coin toss going in. Flavio had actually finished ahead in the first round.
The result in numbers
According to the official count of Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE), as reported by The Rio Times, Lula received 64,248,884 votes while Flavio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party (PL) got 59,822,138. Turnout stood at just under 81% in a country where voting is compulsory.
| Winner | Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) |
| Lula's vote share | 51.78% (64,248,884 votes) |
| Flavio Bolsonaro's vote share | 48.22% (59,822,138 votes) |
| Margin | About 3.56 points, roughly 4.4 million votes |
| Turnout | 80.78% |
| First round | Flavio 47%, Lula 45% |
| New term begins | January 5, 2027 |
A comeback from behind
The win is notable because Lula started the second round on the back foot. In the first round, Flavio led with about 47% to Lula's 45%, a gap of roughly 2.2 million votes. Over the following weeks Lula's campaign reversed that, turning a deficit into a clear lead.
Flavio's campaign was weighed down by his admission that he accepted about $12 million from former banker Daniel Vorcaro to fund a film about his father. He is under investigation for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion. His father, Jair Bolsonaro, is under house arrest after being convicted over an attempted coup, and Flavio had promised to seek an amnesty for him.
Voters told reporters that the cost of living and public security were their main concerns, issues that both camps fought hard over.
A tense finish
Election day was not smooth. A Supreme Court justice extended voting by two hours across the country after transport disruptions, a decision that angered the right and could lead to legal challenges from Flavio's camp. At the time of writing, reports had not confirmed a formal concession from Flavio, and the TSE's formal declaration was still to follow.
After casting his vote, Lula told reporters he would be "forever grateful" for the support he had received, and said of the disruptions that "these people need to respect democracy."
Who is Lula?
A former metalworker and union leader, Lula first governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010. He was jailed in 2018 after a corruption conviction, spent 580 days in prison and later had the sentence annulled, clearing the way for his return. He narrowly beat Jair Bolsonaro in 2022 and has now beaten his son four years later. His new, non-consecutive fourth term will begin on January 5, 2027. He turns 81 this week, and will begin the new term with the experience of three earlier stints in the top job behind him.
What it means for India
Brazil and India are partners in BRICS, the grouping India chairs this year, and both are leading voices of the Global South in forums such as the G20. Lula's re-election means New Delhi will keep dealing with a familiar face in Brasilia, one who has favoured close BRICS ties and a foreign policy independent of Washington.
That matters at a time when the Trump administration has hit Brazilian exports with high tariffs. Lula is an open critic of President Donald Trump, and his win signals that Brazil will continue to keep its distance from the United States. For India, which is negotiating its own trade arrangements with Washington, a strong partner in Brasilia keeps the BRICS bloc's agenda on trade and multilateralism steady.
What happens next
The coming days will show whether Flavio Bolsonaro accepts the result or takes the voting extension to court. Lula, meanwhile, has just over two months before he is sworn in again, with a divided country, a tough economy and a tense relationship with the US waiting for him.
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