Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court announced that, with all votes counted, Lula secured 51.79 per cent of the vote, while Bolsonaro received 48.21 per cent.
Bolsonaro refused to accept the results, criticising the decision to extend voting by two hours. He described the move as unjustified, although representatives of both his campaign and Lula’s had called for voting hours to be extended.
Addressing his supporters in Brasília, Bolsonaro said he would seek to have the election results annulled.
However, this did not stop Lula and his supporters from celebrating what they described as a historic victory, particularly after Lula had lost the first round of voting held on October 4, 2026.
Few had expected Lula to regroup within just three weeks and defeat Bolsonaro in the second round, held on Sunday, October 25.
Lula’s campaign gained renewed momentum after the first round, driven by rallies in his support and an intensive social media campaign.
This marks the fourth time Lula has won a presidential election. He previously served two consecutive terms, from January 2003 to December 2010, before returning to power in January 2023.
Lula now faces significant challenges as he prepares for his new term, which is scheduled to begin on January 5, 2027.
On the international stage, he will continue to navigate a difficult relationship with the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Although Trump did not publicly endorse Flávio Bolsonaro, as he had done with successful candidates in elections in Colombia and Honduras, his administration would have welcomed a Brazil led by the conservative politician.
While Flávio Bolsonaro had promised to strengthen ties with the United States, Lula had warned Washington against interfering in Brazil’s election, insisting that his country would not accept being subordinate to another nation.
Before the election, Lula had promised to bring together opposing sides through a new approach to governance.
Although he has not provided detailed explanations of the changes he intends to introduce, he has pledged to continue pursuing a more just country that offers equal opportunities and prioritises policies that address citizens’ needs.
Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro and his wife Fernanda Bolsonaro give a thumbs up during the runoff presidential election in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.
