Lula da Silva has been re-elected president of Brazil, securing 51.74% of the vote against 48.2% for Flavio Bolsonaro. The runoff result overturns the outcome of the first round, handing Lula a fourth term with a wider margin than the tight race widely predicted on the eve of the vote.
In São Paulo, supporters took to the streets to celebrate the victory. “I thank the generosity of young Brazilians who fought to defend democracy,” Lula declared after his win.
Bolsonaro has announced he will seek to have the vote annulled, challenging a judge’s decision to extend polling hours by two hours — an extension that, notably, had been requested by the candidate himself.
“It is impossible to recognize the result of this vote under these conditions. I will demand the annulment of the vote. For the first time in Brazil’s history, a judge extended voting operations, changing the rules midway through,” said the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Before his remarks, the presidents of both chambers of Congress had already acknowledged the election result.
Lula garnered more than 64 million votes. His comeback was aided by higher voter turnout: abstention fell by two percentage points compared to the first round. It marks the first time in the history of Brazilian presidential elections that a candidate defeated in the first round has gone on to win the runoff.
