Lula Wins Fourth Term With Record 64.3 Million Votes

Overview

• The Tribunal Superior Eleitoral certified Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's victory after the Oct. 25 runoff, reporting 64,256,232 votes (51.79%) to Flávio Bolsonaro's 59,826,041 (48.21%).
• Lula overturned a first‑round deficit by adding roughly 10–11 million votes between rounds while overall abstention fell from 21.08% to 19.21%, driven by stronger turnout in key states such as São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Bahia.
• A Supreme Federal Court order to extend voting hours in some locations disrupted the TSE's counting process and is central to Flávio Bolsonaro's announced plan to seek annulment and challenge the result in court.
• The PL's national executive formally recognized the official result but demanded explanations about late public spending and benefit payments that party leaders say affected the vote, leaving political tensions and inquiries likely to continue.
• Lula will govern with a more robust opposition after the 2026 vote strengthened the PL's presence in governorships and Congress, which may limit his room for new spending programs and require coalition deals to pass priorities.