Susanna Riva The Brazilian runoff election took place under exceptional conditions: the closing of polls, scheduled for 21:00 PM (Swiss time), was suddenly postponed by two hours by a Supreme Court judge. The move immediately raised doubts about the legitimacy of the extended vote and fueled discussions about a possible annulment of the result.
Right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro bitterly criticized the result, calling it "impossible to recognize" and calling for the vote to be annulled. For the first time in Brazilian history, a judge changed the electoral rules in the middle of the day of counting, sparking an unprecedented institutional crisis.
The Supreme Court's decision to extend the polls
Judge Cristiano Zanin of the Federal Supreme Court issued an order shortly before the scheduled closing time, extending voting hours by two hours nationwide. This came in response to joint protests by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro, who had called for more time to allow voters prevented by transportation or adverse weather conditions to reach the polling booths.
The measure, however, came too late for many polling stations that had already begun closing. Under these circumstances, the voting booths could not be reopened, creating unequal treatment among the different regions. Legal experts' analysis suggests that this asymmetry could constitute a valid basis for requesting the annulment of the second round.
Lula and Bolsonaro's reactions to the extension
Lula denounced local governments in São Paulo and Bahia for restricting public transportation, thus impeding the right to vote. The outgoing president asked judges to keep polling stations open for two additional hours, citing the need to ensure universal access to the polls.
Likewise, Flavio Bolsonaro requested an extension for the constituencies affected by bad weather, especially in Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais. After polls closed, Bolsonaro proclaimed "there's a wind of change," while Lula, from the polling station in São Paulo, emphasized the desire of young people, women, and the most vulnerable to "call for democracy."
Legal implications and risk of cancellation
According to electoral law professor Fernando Neisser, the late decision to extend the extended voting period to a time when many polling stations were almost closed "generates a clear disparity among polling stations." This disparity is the focal point of potential legal actions seeking the cancellation of the round.
If the Supreme Court were to deem the extension illegitimate, the final result — currently determined by a margin of a few percentage points, with Bolsonaro at 50,4% with 21% of the votes counted — could be invalidated, paving the way for a new round or even more drastic corrective measures.
Geopolitical implications of the possible victory
A victory for Lula would consolidate a policy oriented towards multilateralism , social spending, and environmental protection, continuing the reduction in Amazon deforestation begun during his previous terms. Conversely, a victory for Flavio Bolsonaro would represent a shift toward the free-market economic model inspired by Milei and Trump , with potential repercussions on relations between the BRICS and the European Union, as well as the negotiation of the Mercosur-EU agreement.
In the global context, the Brazilians' choice will be interpreted as a signal of trust or rejection of progressive movements, also influencing the strategy of center-left parties in the upcoming US midterm elections.