Lula secures fourth term with 64 million votes as rival files legal challenge

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won reelection to his fourth non-consecutive term. He will take office on Jan. 5, 2027, following a decisive victory in the Sunday runoff.

Lula secured more than 64 million votes, compared with just under 60 million for Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro. The margin was nearly 4 percent. The outcome followed a chaotic extension of voting hours requested by both candidates.

The election saw a record number of abstentions in the first round, but the second round had the fewest abstentions ever recorded. An additional 14.1 million voters participated in the final round. Analysts indicate that three-quarters of these new voters supported Lula.

Flávio Bolsonaro announced on Sunday that he plans to request an annulment of the election. It remains unclear what legal avenue he will pursue. His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year sentence for a coup attempt and also unsuccessfully contested his 2022 loss to Lula.

President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that the reelection was rigged, though he provided no evidence. He told reporters, “Elections have to be indisputable and it looked very bad to me.” He added, “It looked like another rigged election, frankly.”

Lula’s campaign relied heavily on a digital strategy led by lawmaker André Janones. Janones ran a WhatsApp channel called “Lula's Army” that gathered almost 11 million people. This operation mobilized previously uncommitted voters in lower-income municipalities and metropolitan centers.

Kassio Nunes, president of Brazil’s electoral authority, recognized Lula’s victory on Sunday. Nunes was appointed to the Supreme Court by Jair Bolsonaro. Brian Winter, a Brazil analyst, noted that important Brazilian power brokers are closing ranks behind Lula, making an uphill battle for the challenger.

The vote extension was decided by a Supreme Court justice minutes before the 5 p.m. closing time. Lula requested it due to transportation issues in São Paulo and Salvador, while Bolsonaro cited heavy rains in the south. Results were still reported quickly due to Brazil’s electronic voting systems, which have been in use since the 1990s.