{"id":11356,"date":"2026-10-26T01:02:05","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T01:02:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=11356"},"modified":"2026-10-26T01:02:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T01:02:05","slug":"lula-holds-off-far-right-with-victory-in-brazil-presidential-election-elections-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=11356","title":{"rendered":"Lula holds off far right with victory in Brazil presidential election | Elections News"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has defeated right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in Brazil\u2019s contentious presidential race, pulling off a remarkable comeback after a first-round loss that galvanised the country\u2019s political right.<\/p>\n

Shortly after 9:00pm Brasilia time on Sunday (00:00 GMT), Brazil\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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Bolsonaro, meanwhile, netted 48 percent, or north of 59 million ballots. More than 4 million votes separated the two candidates, with the final votes still being counted.<\/p>\n

With his victory, Lula has made history. No other politician in modern Brazilian history has lost the first round of a presidential election only to win the second round.<\/p>\n

\u201cA historic turning point for democracy,\u201d Edinho Silva, the head of Lula\u2019s Workers\u2019 Party, posted on social media, along with a video of supporters chanting, \u201cOle, ole, ole, ole, ola! Lula, Lula!\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, the vote process was marred by allegations of voter suppression after reports emerged that public transport in some areas had been suspended.<\/p>\n

Lula\u2019s allies accused Bolsonaro\u2019s supporters of reducing bus availability, in an attempt dampen the president\u2019s working-class base.<\/p>\n

Heavy rains, meanwhile, affected southern areas considered to be Bolsonaro strongholds.<\/p>\n

The campaigns of both Lula and Bolsonaro ultimately petitioned the Supreme Court for a voting extension. Polls across the country were kept open two hours later than expected, until 7pm Brasilia time (22:00 GMT).<\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s victory means Lula will retain the presidency of Latin America\u2019s largest country, denying a crucial victory to the region\u2019s right wing.<\/p>\n

In recent years, right-wing leaders have swept presidential races in nearby countries like Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia and Ecuador. Many have ridden a wave of anti-incumbent energy and enjoyed support from United States President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January 2025.<\/p>\n

A former union leader for metalworkers, Lula \u2013 at age 80 \u2013 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\u2019s return to democracy.<\/p>\n

His victory has earned him an unprecedented fourth non-consecutive term.<\/p>\n

Lula came into Sunday\u2019s run-off as an underdog. While he narrowly led pre-election, the first round of voting on October 4 showed him trailing Bolsonaro.<\/p>\n

He earned 45 percent of the first-round vote, compared with the right-wing senator\u2019s 47 percent, both tallies short of the 50 percent needed to avoid a run-off.<\/p>\n

But in the weeks since, Lula has rallied supporters around cost-of-living issues. He championed a constitutional amendment passed this month that shortened the Brazilian workweek, and floated the possibility of providing free public transport on weekends.<\/p>\n

Having entered politics in the 1980s, during the twilight of the country\u2019s military dictatorship, Lula has run for president seven times.<\/p>\n

He won two consecutive terms from 2002 through 2010, as well as a third term in 2022, in what was the tightest race in modern Brazilian history up to that point.<\/p>\n

His rival in that election, former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, is the father of Senator Bolsonaro, Lula\u2019s adversary in this race.<\/p>\n

Jair Bolsonaro has since been sentenced to 27 years in prison for his role in plotting a coup following his loss to Lula.<\/p>\n

Despite overseeing a decline in poverty and low unemployment during his third term in office, Lula has faced questions about his age, his ability to combat crime, and the country\u2019s polarised political landscape.<\/p>\n

An explosion of household debt has also left many Brazilians feeling their economic circumstances have worsened.<\/p>\n

In September, Lula banned online gambling and sport betting apps to address the issue.<\/p>\n

While the victory over Bolsonaro cements Lula\u2019s status as one of the most significant and influential figures in Brazil\u2019s modern history, efforts to advance legislative priorities during his fourth term could be stymied by the most right-wing Congress in recent memory.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has defeated right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in Brazil\u2019s contentious presidential race, pulling off a remarkable comeback after a first-round loss that galvanised the country\u2019s political right. Shortly after 9:00pm Brasilia time on Sunday (00:00 GMT), Brazil\u2019s Superior Electoral Court called the race for Lula, who had earned more…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-international-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t