Lula wins fourth term in Brazil; Bolsonaro vows to contest election

Brazil's left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was re-elected on October 25, 2026, securing an unprecedented fourth term, but conservative rival Flavio Bolsonaro has announced plans to challenge the election result. Lula won with 51.8% of the vote against Bolsonaro's 48.2%, a margin of 4.4 million votes, after trailing in the first round. Bolsonaro called the result a "scam," while Lula's team had successfully petitioned to extend voting hours due to alleged voter suppression. The victory marks the first time a candidate has overturned a first-round deficit since Brazil's return to democracy. Lula, who turns 81, will be 85 at the end of his term in 2030, totaling 16 years in power.