Brasília: According to results released by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva—the candidate for the ruling Workers’ Party and the incumbent President of Brazil—has won the second round (runoff) of the presidential election held on Sunday.
Official data, with 99.89 percent of the votes counted, shows that Lula secured 51.78 percent of the total valid votes. Meanwhile, his opponent—representing the Liberal Party—received 48.23 percent of the vote. Although Lula trailed in the first round, he staged a remarkable comeback.
Lula will be sworn in as President for a four-year term on January 5, 2027. This will mark his fourth time serving as the President of Brazil. His victory has halted a right-wing shift in Latin America—a movement that had enjoyed the support of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Lula will govern from 2027 to 2030. He will face a Congress in which Jair Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party holds its highest number of seats in decades.
On Sunday, writing on the social media platform ‘X’, Lula stated: “Once again, the Brazilian people have shown me that when we move forward together, no dream is too big. We worked incredibly hard during this period. Every step, every action, and every march was more than just a campaign activity; they were evidence of dreams coming to life and transforming into tangible achievements—such as the end of the ‘6×1’ work schedule (a six-day workweek). The hands extended toward me and the smiles of the people reminded me why I have dedicated my life to the struggle of this nation’s workers.” He further stated, “We have emerged from this journey stronger, more united, and prepared to ensure a better future. Thank you, Brazil, for the embraces, for every tear, for every smile, and for never letting go of my hand. Many beautiful pages of our story are yet to be written.”
In the first round of voting held on October 4, Bolsonaro led with 47.03 percent of the valid votes, while Lula received 45.16 percent. Following this result, an intense three-week election campaign unfolded in the largest country in Latin America.