80-Year-Old Leftist Leader Lula Elected President of Brazil
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the leftist leader of Brazil, has been elected president for a fourth term. Lula defeated 45-year-old Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in the runoff election with 51.8 percent of the vote. He will lead Brazil from 2027 to 2030. Kathmandu, November 9.
Lula, aged 80, who trailed in the first round, managed to overcome Flávio Bolsonaro in the second round. Flávio Bolsonaro is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. According to Brazil’s electoral office, Lula secured 51.8 percent of valid votes while Bolsonaro received 48.2 percent. With this result, Lula will serve as Brazil’s president for the term 2027 to 2030.
International news agencies report that since the restoration of democratic elections in 1989, candidates who led in the first round of Brazil’s presidential elections have traditionally won the second round as well, until 2022. Lula’s victory in 2026 breaks this streak for the first time. His win also deals a setback to efforts to expand right-wing influence in Latin American politics, which had been supported by former US President Donald Trump.
In his new term, Lula is expected to face challenges such as controlling public debt and maintaining economic stability, especially given the strong presence of Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party in parliament. Following the announcement of election results, hundreds of Lula supporters gathered on Paulista Avenue in São Paulo on Sunday evening. Carrying red flags emblazoned with the president’s image, they watched the vote count. Supporters celebrated Lula’s victory as a “win for democracy.”