Lula wins Brazil election with 4.4 million vote lead

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won Brazil's presidential election.

The left-wing leader secured 51.79% of the vote, defeating right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro, who received 48.21%. This margin represents a difference of 4.4 million votes. Lula becomes the first Brazilian president to win a fourth term since the return to civilian rule in 1985. He is also the first to win an election after losing the initial first-round vote.

The result reversed the standings from the first round on October 4, where Flávio Bolsonaro held a two-point lead. Lula's campaign focused on increasing voter participation. They targeted the 33 million people who had abstained in the first round. Sunday's vote saw the largest drop in abstention between two rounds of a presidential election since 1989.

Voting concluded after an unprecedented two-hour extension. Both candidates requested the delay for different reasons. Lula's team cited a lack of buses in São Paulo and Bahia that prevented voters from reaching polling stations. Flávio Bolsonaro's campaign pointed to heavy rain in the south and São Paulo. The Supreme Court issued the decision just as polls were scheduled to close. Some stations had already shut and could not reopen.

Kassio Nunes Marques, the president of the Supreme Court, confirmed the victory. He stated that the extension did not cause issues for the vote count or the electoral process. Marques was appointed to the court by former president Jair Bolsonaro, the father of the losing candidate.

Flávio Bolsonaro has refused to recognize the result. He called the outcome inexplicable and impossible, asking for it to be annulled. Former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently serving a 27-year sentence for a coup attempt, made the same request. Electoral law experts describe the chances of annulment as remote. Fernando Neisser of the Institute of Lawyers of São Paulo noted the legal difficulty given the large margin of victory. Expert Alberto Rollo added that constitutional dates for presidential elections create further complications for a legal challenge.

Lula celebrated in the streets of São Paulo while supporters left the Bolsonaro residence in Brasília. The 81-year-old former metal worker told crowds that the election was a loss for negativity and lies. He added that long live democracy. Vice President Geraldo Alckmin told Lula that he had saved Brazilian democracy for the second time. Lula said his new term, which begins on January 5 and lasts until 2030, will be the best in the country's history and the one in which he listens most to the people.

The victory comes amid tensions with the United States. US President Donald Trump has supported Jair Bolsonaro and referred to a doctrine seeking US dominance in the Western Hemisphere. Lula stated that Brazil will not accept being anyone's backyard. Trump has yet to react to the loss. Other world leaders have offered congratulations. Ecuador President Daniel Noboa Azin spoke of common enemies and shared challenges. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said democracy and multilateralism had won. French President Emmanuel Macron called for cooperation in service of a more just world. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the result as a great victory. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called it a win for the global south.