Lula wins Brazil election by nearly 4 million votes as Bolsonaro contests result

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured more than 64 million votes in Sunday’s presidential runoff, defeating Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro by a margin of nearly 4 percent. The incumbent is expected to take office on Jan. 5, 2027, for his fourth non-consecutive term. Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, has formally challenged the results, setting the stage for a legal contest between the two leading political forces in the country.

Lula’s victory was driven by an additional 14.1 million voters who participated in the second round. Analysts estimate that three-quarters of these new votes went to Lula, allowing him to overcome a deficit from the first round. The second round recorded the fewest abstentions in Brazilian history, a stark contrast to the first round which set a record for non-voters.

A key component of Lula’s strategy was a digital campaign managed by lawmaker André Janones. Janones utilized a WhatsApp channel known as “Lula's Army,” which amassed almost 11 million users to coordinate social media messaging. Oliver Stuenkel, a professor at Fundação Getulio Vargas, noted that the campaign adopted an aggressive, constant messaging style previously associated with right-wing politics to mobilize uncommitted voters.

President Donald Trump questioned the integrity of the vote on Monday. Without providing specific evidence, he stated that the election “looked very bad” and “looked like another rigged election.” Trump made these comments to reporters before departing for a rally in Mississippi.

Bolsonaro requested an annulment of the election following a last-minute extension of voting hours. The extension was granted at the request of both candidates due to weather and transportation issues. A Supreme Court justice authorized the change minutes before polls were scheduled to close at 5 p.m., causing logistical delays at polling stations.

Kassio Nunes, president of Brazil’s electoral authority, recognized Lula’s victory on Sunday. Nunes was appointed to the Supreme Court by Jair Bolsonaro. Brian Winter, editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly, said that important Brazilian power brokers are closing ranks behind Lula, making the path for an annulment difficult despite Bolsonaro’s objections.

The dispute over the results comes as Brazil’s top electoral court ruled on Oct. 15 that Meta must ensure equal treatment of candidates on its platforms. The company later confirmed it addressed the measures. This was the first time since 1989 that a candidate trailed in the first round to win the second. Lula’s highest gains occurred in lower-income municipalities, while overall turnout surged in wealthier metropolitan centers.