Lula Beats Rival in Brazil Election to Win Fourth Term

Brazil's incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won the country's national election, securing an unprecedented fourth term.

Lula Beats Rival in Brazil Election to Win Fourth Term

TL;DR

  • Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won Brazil's national election for an unprecedented fourth term.
  • The election concluded after a chaotic evening with a last-minute decision to extend voting hours.
  • Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin's decision to extend voting, despite being Lula's former lawyer, may lead to legal action by rival Flávio Bolsonaro.
  • Both candidates requested extensions due to issues affecting voters in different regions.
  • Lula's win shifts a trend in Latin America where right-of-centre candidates allied with Donald Trump have been winning.
  • Lula, a former union leader and founder of the Workers' Party, first won the presidency in 2002.
  • This is the first time since 1985 that the second-highest vote-getter in the first round won the presidency.
  • Bolsonaro received 47% of the vote in the first round, compared to Lula's 45%.