Lula secures historic fourth term after overturning first‑round deficit

On 25 October 2026, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was elected president of Brazil for a fourth term, defeating Flávio Bolsonaro despite finishing the first round 2.2 million votes behind. In the runoff, Lula reversed that gap and secured a win by a margin of 4.4 million votes after a 20‑day interval between the two rounds. The outcome marked the first instance in Brazilian electoral history of a candidate winning after losing the first round, highlighting the impact of extensive street demonstrations and a coordinated online presence supporting his campaign.

Lula’s political journey includes a 2018 arrest at the Metalworkers’ Union building in São Bernardo do Campo, where he was taken into custody following convictions for corruption and money laundering. Although his allies had hoped for a crowd of 50,000, only about 10,000 people gathered that day. The Federal Supreme Court later annulled the convictions, ruling the lower court lacked jurisdiction and was biased, and Lula served 580 days in prison. His 2026 victory was framed by the same mass mobilization, with millions turning out to the streets and an online “army” amplifying his message.