Historic Comeback: Lula Wins Fourth Presidential Term in Brazil After Runoff
A comeback at the ballot box
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured a fourth presidential term in Brazil after winning the runoff against Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Lula’s margin was more than 4 million votes.
The result followed a remarkable reversal from the first round, when Lula finished behind his opponent. Since Brazil restored democracy in 1989, no candidate in that position had gone on to win the presidency.
Democracy central to the campaign
In the final weeks of campaigning, Lula’s supporters focused on the prospect of another Bolsonaro returning to power. The message cast that possibility as a serious danger to Brazil’s democracy.
Lula’s victory came amid a recent series of conservative electoral wins in the region. Seven conservative presidents have been elected across Latin America in the past 18 months.
A shift in regional momentum
The outcome appears to have interrupted the regional pattern of right-wing gains. NPR correspondent Carrie Kahn said Lula’s win put a brake on that trend. The runoff gave voters a choice between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro, whose father is former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro. Lula’s win gives him a fourth term and marks a historic first in Brazil’s post-1989 democratic era.
Key points
- Lula defeated Flávio Bolsonaro by more than 4 million votes in Brazil’s presidential runoff.
- It is the first time since 1989 that a first-round runner-up has won Brazil’s presidency.
- Lula’s campaign warned that another Bolsonaro presidency would threaten Brazilian democracy.
- Seven conservative presidents have been elected in Latin America over the past 18 months.