Susanna Riva On October 26, 2026, Brazil experienced a historic night: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won his fourth term , defeating former President Jair Bolsonaro's son, Flavio Bolsonaro , in the second round. The result, certified by the Electoral Tribunal with 99,8% of polling stations counted, showed a score of 51,7% to 48,3% , overturning a first round in which Bolsonaro had a lead of just over two million votes out of nearly 120 million voters.
The turning point: from disadvantage to victory
The Workers' Party transformed its marginal first-round gain into a genuine recovery, focusing primarily on the electorate and young people who formed the backbone of Lula's campaign. The candidate openly thanked young Brazilians, crediting them with being "catalysts of change."
At the same time, his government list, led by deputy Geraldo Alckmin , has emphasized the continuity of social policies such as the Bolsa Família program , which still supports around fifty million citizens.
Operational chaos and legal disputes over voting times
With polls scheduled to close at 17:00 p.m. Brasilia time , Lula's campaign has asked for a two-hour extension to allow more voters to cast their ballots.
The Electoral Tribunal initially rejected the request, but Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin , a former lawyer for the outgoing president, accepted the extension until 7 p.m. Flavio Bolsonaro filed an independent extension request, citing bad weather in Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul , but without referring to the reported transport blockades in Salvador (Bahia) and in working-class neighborhoods of São Paulo.
Transport blocks and tensions in the area
During the final hours of voting, Lula supporters reported instances of mobility disruptions: buses blocked in Salvador and restrictions in the suburbs of São Paulo. The Electoral Tribunal issued an arrest warrant against Salvador's mobility councilor, accused of violating voting rights. These tactics, denounced by Lula's campaign, fueled tensions and prompted the jury to intervene to ensure universal access to the polls.
An unprecedented count and its implications
The counting process experienced unusual delays: while electronic ballot boxes typically provide rapid results, this year many closed earlier than expected, with no protocol for reopening. In some polling stations, scrutineers considered using sheets of paper to record votes, a scenario resolved by Zanin's further ruling, which confirmed that polls already closed remain closed, while those still open continue to record votes. Brasilia's Superior Electoral Tribunal began certifying the results while the vote continued, creating an unprecedented situation of overlap. After 20% of the polls were counted, Bolsonaro temporarily regained the lead, only to cede it again to Lula when 50% of the votes were processed.
The challenges ahead: a Congress dominated by the far right
Despite his victory, Lula's new term opens against a hostile legislative landscape: the parliamentary majority is controlled by right-wing forces, often identified with the "Boi Bala e Bíblia" group, rooted in the latifundist Center-West and partly in the Amazonian North. The president will have to negotiate with a Congress disinclined to his public spending and redistribution policies, risking conflicts with the financial markets, which had responded positively to Bolsonaro's first round. Internationally, Lula is expected to maintain a more favorable stance toward China, distancing himself from the alignment with the United States promoted by the Bolsonaro-supporting Trump administration.