Lula takes Brazil's top job with 51 percent in tight runoff

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva captured 51 percent of the vote to claim a record fourth non-consecutive term as Brazil's president. He defeated right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who received 48 percent of the total. Electoral authorities confirmed the result after counting 98.76 percent of the ballots. The outcome defied polling data that showed the two candidates virtually tied in the final days before the election.

The victory completes a comeback that no presidential candidate in Brazil has achieved in nearly 40 years. Three weeks prior, Bolsonaro held a lead of 2.2 million votes in the first round. Lula regained ground by targeting voters who abstained in that initial contest. He focused his message on the cost of living and the future of his party's social programs. As results arrived on Sunday evening, Bolsonaro briefly led before Lula gained momentum in the northeast, a traditional base for the Workers' Party.

The path to victory became complicated by a late order to extend voting hours. Both campaigns had requested more time for voters. Lula's team argued that local officials cut public transport to hinder lower-income voters. Bolsonaro's campaign cited heavy rain and flooding as reasons for the extension. In Minas Gerais, the regional electoral court reported that 349 polling locations lost power, though machines operated on backup batteries.

Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin ordered polling stations to remain open until 7 p.m. instead of closing at 5 p.m. The directive arrived after some stations had already shut down their machines. Zanin later clarified that stations already closed would not reopen. This timing created confusion at many locations, and some voters were turned away despite the extended window.

Flavio Bolsonaro has pledged to annul the vote and accused Zanin of judicial malfeasance. "He changes the rules of the game mid-game," Bolsonaro said. He referenced Zanin's history as Lula's personal lawyer, noting that Lula appointed him to the Supreme Court in 2023. Bolsonaro told supporters that it is impossible to recognize the election results. The Federal Police are investigating transport disruptions in five states, and a court in Salvador ordered the arrest of the city's transport secretary.

Turnout dynamics likely influenced the final margin. Andrei Roman, head of polling firm AtlasIntel, cited a drop in abstention rates as a factor in Lula's success. In the first round, an estimated 33.4 million Brazilians stayed home. That figure represented about 21 percent of the electorate, the highest abstention rate in a general election since 1998. Lula also made late promises to his working-class base, including free public transport on weekends.

The result disrupts recent trends in Latin American politics where right-wing candidates have won elections. US President Donald Trump's administration had previously pushed for sanctions against Brazil to weaken Lula. Trump stated on Sunday that he does not want to discuss whom he prefers but that the United States is watching the situation. Donald Trump Jr criticized the voting extension on social media. Al Jazeera correspondent Monica Yanakiew described the judicial system as very divided, predicting extensive political negotiation ahead.

Lula framed his campaign around defending Brazilian sovereignty against foreign interference. He cited US tariffs and comments regarding his rival's trial as examples of outside influence. In his victory speech, Lula said he had to overcome interference coming from the outside. He declared the election a defeat for denialism and a defeat for lies.