AP’s result report was compared with Anadolu’s account of Bolsonaro’s response. No original court ruling extending voting hours or filed annulment petition was inspected; the report distinguishes his announced challenge from a judicial decision.
Updated : Updated with the declared runoff result, vote shares and Bolsonaro’s announced legal challenge. The original publication date and URL are retained.
A fourth term for Lula
Brazil’s electoral court declared President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva the winner of the October 25 runoff against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, according to AP and Anadolu. The result gives Lula a fourth, non-consecutive presidential term.
Anadolu reported 51.76% of valid votes for Lula and 48.24% for Bolsonaro. AP rounded Lula’s share to 51.8% with all votes counted and put his advantage at nearly 4.4 million ballots.
Lula had trailed Bolsonaro in the October 4 first round. The runoff reversed that ordering; Anadolu described it as the first such reversal since Brazil adopted its two-round electoral system in 1989.
Bolsonaro plans an annulment challenge
Bolsonaro said his legal team would seek to annul the election, objecting to Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin’s late decision to extend voting until 7 p.m. Brasília time. Anadolu reported that the extension followed emergency petitions concerning transport blockades and severe weather.
AP reported that both candidates had requested more time, and that some polling places nevertheless closed shortly after the original 5 p.m. deadline. The announced challenge does not itself overturn the electoral court’s declaration.
Sources
5 references
- Associated PressThe Latest: Brazilians choose between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro in presidential runoffIndependent election-day reporting · 2026-10-25
- ReutersBrazil heads to polls in runoff between leftist Lula and Bolsonaro Jr.Independent reporting · 2026-10-25
- International IDEAInternational IDEA participates in the international guests’ program for Brazil’s 2026 general electionsInstitutional account and first-round background · 2026-10
- Associated PressLula is declared winner of Brazil’s election as Bolsonaro rejects resultsIndependent result and polling-place reporting · 2026-10-25
- Anadolu AgencyFlavio Bolsonaro vows to seek annulment of Brazil runoff following narrow defeat to LulaSeparate reporting on vote shares and announced legal challenge · 2026-10-26
