Lula becomes oldest president after runoff win
The 80-year-old president secured 64 million votes to defeat Flavio Bolsonaro, who pledged a legal challenge.
By Fatima Popov ·
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will remain in power in Brazil. The Superior Electoral Court declared him the winner of the runoff election on Sunday night. This result ends a campaign where the incumbent trailed the opposition candidate in the first round. Lula now prepares for a fourth term in office.
Lula received more than 64 million ballots, securing over 51 percent of the vote. Flavio Bolsonaro, a right-wing senator, collected more than 59 million votes and 48 percent of the total. The final gap between the two candidates exceeded four million votes. Counting was still underway when the court made its announcement shortly after 9 pm Brasilia time.
The outcome sets a historical record for the 80-year-old former union leader. He is the first politician in modern Brazilian history to win a runoff after losing the initial round. Lula will take office on January 5, 2027. This date makes him the oldest president sworn in since Brazil returned to democracy.
Bolsonaro refused to concede the election immediately. He stated he would seek to annul the result by challenging a Supreme Court decision. That decision extended voting hours by two hours after reports of disruption. Bolsonaro accused the court of changing rules during the election and said he could not accept the outcome.
The voting extension followed allegations of voter suppression and heavy rainfall in southern strongholds. Reports indicated public transport was suspended in some areas, leading Lula’s allies to accuse Bolsonaro supporters of limiting bus services. Lula’s campaign focused on living costs and promoted a constitutional amendment to shorten the workweek. He also raised the prospect of free public transport on weekends.
Lula faces a Congress dominated by right-wing members for his next term. He acknowledged these legislative challenges while speaking at a podium decorated with flags. "I do not choose the Congress," he said. "It was the people who chose it, and it is with them that I will vote, work and get things approved."
Source: Al Jazeera
