São Paulo reports Brazil's election result: Lula wins runoff, elected president for a fourth term

Brazil's presidential runoff on October 25 produced a winner. Reuters, citing the electoral authority, reported that incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro to win re-election, securing his fourth non-consecutive presidential term; the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) declared the result mathematically decided before the count was fully complete.

The count

According to the near-final figures published by the electoral court, with 99.83% of polling stations counted, Lula had 51.76% of valid votes, or 64,120,476 ballots, against Bolsonaro's 48.24%, or 59,759,548 votes, a margin of 4,360,928 votes. Turnout was 80.79%, with 128,027,037 people voting and an abstention rate of 19.21%, or 30,437,339 people; valid votes totalled 123,880,024, with blank ballots at 1.12% and null ballots at 2.12%.

From first-round deficit to comeback

The runoff followed the October 4 first round, in which Flávio Bolsonaro led with about 47% against Lula's roughly 45%, with no candidate winning a majority, forcing a second round. The early runoff count was very close, but Lula's lead widened as votes came in from the populous northeast, his traditional stronghold, sealing the result.

A bumpy voting day

On voting day, reports of transport problems and severe weather affecting voters in some areas led both campaigns to seek extended polling hours, sparking a dispute; the electoral court ultimately declared the result decided, closing a high-tension runoff.

What comes next

Lula's new term runs from 2027 to 2030. He previously won presidential elections in 2002, 2006 and 2022, defeating in 2022 Flávio's father, former president Jair Bolsonaro. This site reported earlier on October 25 on runoff voting day; this is the follow-up on the result, with the post-election landscape and the formation of the new government the next things to watch.