Lula wins 4.4 million vote margin to secure fourth term

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won 4.4 million more votes than his rival Flávio Bolsonaro to claim a fourth term as president of Brazil. Lula captured 51.79% of the total vote, while Bolsonaro received 48.21%.

The result marked a dramatic reversal from the first round held on October 4. In that initial vote, Flávio Bolsonaro led with 47% of the total against Lula's 45%. Lula's campaign focused on increasing voter turnout after 33 million citizens abstained in the first round. Sunday saw the largest drop in abstention between two rounds of a presidential election since 1989.

Polls closed two hours later than scheduled on Sunday evening. Both campaigns requested the extension for different reasons. Lula's team cited a lack of buses preventing voters in São Paulo and Bahia from reaching polling stations. The Bolsonaro campaign pointed to heavy rain in the south and São Paulo. The Supreme Court issued the decision just as voting stations were due to close, preventing some locations from reopening after they had shut down.

Kassio Nunes Marques, the president of the Supreme Court, confirmed the victory. He stated that the voting extension did not cause issues for the count or the electoral process. Flávio Bolsonaro has refused to recognize the result and called for its annulment. His father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, also said the outcome should be annulled, describing it as inexplicable and impossible.

Electoral law experts believe annulment is unlikely. Fernando Neisser of the Institute of Lawyers of São Paulo noted that the legal path would be difficult given the size of the victory margin. Alberto Rollo added that the fixed constitutional dates for presidential elections would complicate any legal challenge. Lula turns 81 on Tuesday, the day before his new term begins.

Lula addressed celebratory crowds in São Paulo, calling the election a loss for negativity and lies. He said this fourth term would be the best in the country's history and the one where he listens most to the people. Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin told him that he had saved Brazilian democracy for the second time. The new term begins on January 5 and will last until 2030.

Lula used his victory speech to address tensions with the United States. He referenced the Donroe Doctrine proposed by US President Donald Trump and insisted that Brazil will not accept being anyone's backyard. Trump has previously shown support for Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for a coup attempt. Flávio Bolsonaro met with Trump at the White House earlier this year.