Lula wins fourth term as Brazil's president, beating Flávio Bolsonaro in runoff, but Bolsonaro rejects results
Updated on: October 26, 2026 / 1:36 AM EDT / AP
TL;DR
- Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been reelected as Brazil's president, securing his fourth term.
- Lula defeated opponent Flávio Bolsonaro by a margin of nearly 4.4 million votes.
- Bolsonaro has refused to concede and is seeking to annul the election results, citing issues at polling places.
- The victory places Brazil, Latin America's largest economy, under left-of-center leadership, contrasting with a trend of right-of-center wins in the region.
- This election marks the first time since 1985 that the second-highest vote-getter in the first round won the presidency.
- Lula's win is seen as a continuation of Brazil's defiance of former President Trump's demands and policies.
- Concerns over cost of living and security were key issues during the campaign, with Bolsonaro advocating a tough-on-crime approach.