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October 26, 2026
Recap — Why is Bolsonaro crying foul after the voting extension? Lula's relatively large margin of victory, with just over 4 million votes in hand, could well prove valuable in discredeting a potential challenge to the outcome Image: Brian Snyder/REUTERSJust joining us and wondering how Brazil's runoff vote had a considerably clearer margin of victory than predicted and yet still ended in controversy and the losing candidate refusing to concede defeat?
Challenger Flavio Bolsonaro's objections were focused around the evening extension of voting past the planned closing time of 5 p.m. across the country.
The decisions by a Lula-appointed Supreme Court justice on Sunday followed a complaint over allegations of pro-Bolsonaro mayors being behind public transport irregularities that may have hampered people's plans to vote.
On election night, Bolsonaro then told journalists it was "impossible to recognize the election results, given the circumstances under which things unfolded."
For now it's unclear whether, as the dust settles, Bolsonaro will continue to resist the outcome and try to encourage protests in the way his now-jailed father Jair Bolsonaro did four years ago.
Bolsonaro had won the first round of voting and was set to eke out a narrow victory according to pre-election pollsImage: Sergio Lima/AFPBut two factors in particular seem to speak against the prospects of a potential Bolsonaro challenge.
Firstly, his fairly sizeable margin of defeat — losing by slightly more than 4 million votes rather than just a few thousand — makes it much more unlikely that a two-hour extension at polling stations could have even the theoretical potential of swaying the result.
And beyond that, his camp appealed for and successfully secured permission to keep polling stations open in some of Bolsonaro's southern strongholds, after torrential rains interfered with would-be voters' travel plans.
Skip next section African leaders congratulate Lula, seek to 'advance shared interests'October 26, 2026
African leaders congratulate Lula, seek to 'advance shared interests'Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was one of several African leaders to congratulate Lula on Monday, saying that his renewed mandate offered an opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties.
"As two leading nations of the Global South, we can promote economic integration and advance our shared interests in a rapidly changing global order," Tinubu said online, saying he looked forward to expanding cooperation in a raft of areas.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu also extended her "sincere congratulations" to Lula.
"Tanzania values its longstanding friendship with Brazil, and looks forward to continue building on this foundation to further strengthen bilateral relations and deepen cooperation, for the mutual benefit of our two nations," Suluhu said.
Seychelles President Patrick Herminie called the runoff election result "a powerful affirmation of the trust the Brazilian people have placed in President Lula's leadership," in comments published by his office online.
He said Lula's win was "a testament to his lifelong commitment to the dignity and well-being of ordinary men and women," saying the Seychelles shared Lula's values like "social justice, equality of opportunity, the protection of workers and the most vulnerable, and a model of development that places people at its center."
Herminie expressed a desire to deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in tackling climate change, protecting the oceans and advancing the interests of the Global South.
Skip next section Putin congratulates Lula, praising his 'personal contribution' to bilateral tiesOctober 26, 2026
Putin congratulates Lula, praising his 'personal contribution' to bilateral tiesBrazil and Russia have maintained warm ties under LulaImage: Sergey Bobylev/Anadolu/picture allianceRussian President Vladimir Putin offered congratulations to Lula in a telegram published by the Kremlin on Monday.
"It is difficult to overstate your personal contribution to strengthening the strategic partnership between Brazil and Russia," the telegram stated.
Putin, a leader of a fellow BRICS alliance member, is one of few world leaders to have worked with Lula across all of his presidential terms, starting in 2003.
Putin also congratulated Lula on his upcoming 81st birthday, which falls on Tuesday.
The Russian president's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow earlier in the day that the Kremlin welcomed Lula's re-election.
Skip next section WATCH: Brazil's Lula celebrates election victory as Bolsonaro rejects resultsOctober 26, 2026
WATCH: Brazil's Lula celebrates election victory as Bolsonaro rejects resultsBrazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won a historic fourth term after defeating far-right rival Flavio Bolsonaro in a runoff election.
It's a historic political comeback for Lula who trailed in the first round.
DW reports from Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil's Lula celebrates election victory as Bolsonaro rejects resultsTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Skip next section Sao Paulo stock exchange halts trading over sharp drop after Lula winOctober 26, 2026
Sao Paulo stock exchange halts trading over sharp drop after Lula winMarkets reacted anxiously to the result of Sunday's voteImage: Jean Carniel/REUTERSTrading on the Sao Paulo stock exchange, the largest in Latin America, was suspended for 30 minutes on Monday after plummeting nearly 17% in the wake of the re-election of left-wing Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who defeated conservative Flavio Bolsonaro.
The sharp drop in the benchmark Ibovespa index triggered a 30-minute "circuit breaker" mechanism provided for "periods of sharp market decline," according to a stock exchange statement.
Meanwhile, the US dollar surged 12% against Brazil's currency, one of the real's biggest daily moves on record.
Prices of raw sugar, one of Brazil's most important exports, slid nearly 5% on the collapsing exchange rate.
Prediction markets had indicated a Bolsonaro win but the right-wing senator's refusal to concede defeat and his pledge to challenge the election result have added to investor uncertainty.
"Important for local financial markets will be how quickly Bolsonaro accepts the result, or at least allows the constitution to run its course," Chris Turner, a strategist at ING in London, told the Reuters news agency as attention turned to Lula's choice of finance minister — a clue as to his fiscal approach.
"The key signal for markets will be the next Lula administration's commitment to fiscal discipline, starting with the appointment of a new finance minister in coming weeks," RBC BlueBay Asset Management's Graham Stock told Reuters.
Skip next section Germany's Merz wants to deepen 'the strategic partnership' with BrazilOctober 26, 2026
Germany's Merz wants to deepen 'the strategic partnership' with BrazilLula (L) and Merz attended bilateral consultations in Hannover in AprilImage: Michael Kappeler/dpa/picture allianceGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz has joined the chorus of world leaders congratulating Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his re-election.
"I look forward to further deepening the strategic partnership between Germany and Brazil together," Merz said in a message posted on X.
Germany and Brazil held government consultations in Hannover in April of this year, at which Merz and Lula agreed to cooperate more closely on defense and raw materials, among other things.
October 26, 2026
Brazilian markets poised for sharp drop Monday after Lula winBrazilian markets are bracing for heavy selling on Monday, with futures of Brazil's benchmark stock index Bovespa falling nearly 15% in early Monday trading
On global markets, the iShares MSCI Brazil ETF, which tracks a basket of major Brazilian stocks, plunged as much as 26% in premarket trading as investors unwind bets on a right-wing victory.
Brazilian Real November futures also fell 10% in Asian trading, while US-listed shares of Brazilian stocks dropped as well, with energy giant Petrobras plunging more than 20% and banking group Itau Unibanco cratering almost 30%.
Investors had seen election loser Flavio Bolsonaro as the candidate most likely to boost markets with fiscal austerity and deregulation, while Lula has pursued policies of redistribution and state-led development, including costly welfare programs.
Skip next section Russia says it welcomes Lula's re-electionOctober 26, 2026
Russia says it welcomes Lula's re-electionThe Kremlin said on Monday it welcomed Lula's victory and praised what it said were his efforts to cultivate Brazil-Russia ties.
"We welcome Mr. Lula's victory. He does a lot, not only for the development of bilateral relations but also for advancing processes within the framework of BRICS," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
He said Russia hoped for more of the same.
Lula himself has possibly put Brazil in the Kremlin's good books by not joining Western sanctions on Russia over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and calling for a negotiated peace.
However, he has called on all nations to adhere to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity enshrined in the UN Charter, thus implicitly condemning Russia's aggression.
Brazil and Russia are both members of BRICS, an international cooperation group founded in 2009 along with India and China, with South Africa joining a year later, and taking all those countries' first initials to make up its name.
It has since then been expanded to include 10 member nations in all, with a number of "partner countries" also invited in 2024.
Skip next section Votes tallied in Brazil's presidential election after polls closePublished October 25, 2026last updated October 26, 2026
Votes tallied in Brazil's presidential election after polls closeHere's a DW infographic on where the results stand:
Skip next section France, China, Spain congratulate Lula on victoryOctober 26, 2026
France, China, Spain congratulate Lula on victoryMessages of congratulations continue to rain in from around the world following Lula's unexpected win.
China's response was measured, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun saying that "China has noted that Brazil's Superior Electoral Court has announced President Lula has won the second round of the Brazilian general election, and expresses its congratulations."
Guo added that Beijing was "willing to work with Brazil to continue advancing the building of a China-Brazil community with a shared future."
French President Emmanuel Macron, after expressing his congratulations, said Brazil and France should work to "strengthen our strategic partnership."
"France and Brazil have much to build together," Macron said X, adding that the two countries should nurture their friendship "in the service of a fairer world."
Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, was more effusive, casting Lula's victory as evidence that the world is experiencing a backlash to its seeming rightwards political trajectory at present.
"A great victory for Lula! What has happened in Brazil will happen in Spain. The global progressive comeback has just begun," Sanchez, who has called snap elections in November, posted on X.
Skip next section Big challenges face Lula's fourth termOctober 26, 2026
Big challenges face Lula's fourth termLuiz Inacio Lula da Silva is likely to face several difficulties in enacting his agenda in a fourth-term.
Among other things, Brazil has elected its most conservative congress since the country's return to democracy in the 1980s.
Flavio Bolsonaro's Liberal Party and allies could control more than 280 seats in the 513-seat lower house and up to 50 seats in the 81-seat Senate following parliamentary elections three weeks ago.
This could lead to Lula's being forced to cede to congress on decisions about the budget, important legislation and key nominations.
Economic woesBrazil is also in a period of weak economic growth, with his government forecasting just a 2.3% rise in GDP next year.
This is combined with public debt that surpasses 82% of GDP, the highest rate since the coronavirus pandemic.
Security concernsPublic security also remains a major concern in Brazil, with criminal organizations holding considerable influence in parts of the country.
Lula has said he plans to establish a Ministry of Public Security to combat the problem.
Environmental problemsThere are also environmental challenges ahead.
Although deforestation in the Amazon — a major carbon sink and thus vital for the stability of the world climate — fell significantly during Lula's third term, Brazil is still a long way from its goal of ending deforestation by 2030.
Skip next section EU's von der Leyen hails Lula's winOctober 26, 2026
EU's von der Leyen hails Lula's win Von der Leyen (L) and Lula are seen here at a press conference on the EU-Mercosur agreement signed in JanuaryImage: Mauro Pimentel/AFPThe president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has posted an online message of congratulation to "my friend" Lula on his win in Brazil's election runoff.
"Democracy and multilateralism have won in Brazil," she wrote.
"Europe's partnership with Brazil is thriving. We will remain by your side for the years to come," her post continued.
"Together we will keep working closely for free and open trade. A rules-based global order. And strong ambitions for our climate."
Skip next section Could Bolsonaro succeed in annulling the vote?October 26, 2026
Could Bolsonaro succeed in annulling the vote?Many pundits and pollsters had predicted a Bolonsaro victory ahead of the runoff round of voting Image: Sergio Lima/AFPSome uncertainty still surrounds the final result of Brazil's election, as Flavio Bolsonaro has vowed to challenge the outcome over the two-hour extension of polling hours ordered by a Supreme Court judge at the request of Lula da Silva's campaign.
However, legal experts have expressed doubt as to whether such a complaint would meet the legal threshold for the election to be annulled.
Bolsonaro's case would be weakened by at least two factors, analysts said. Firstly, the scale of his loss to Lula and second, the fact that his campaign had also requested an extension in some states.
The president of the electoral court, Kassio Nunes Marques, said that the extension of voting hours had not influenced the vote.
The Associated Press cited Joao Pedro Padua, a law professor at Brazil's Fluminense Federal University, as saying that Bolsonaro could ask for the elections to be declared null and void by filing a complaint with electoral authorities or the Supreme Court.
"But there isn't much legal basis for that," Padua said.
"The extension of voting hours is unusual, but for it to invalidate the elections, the candidate would have to prove that it affected voters' ability to freely express their will. There doesn't seem to have been any such impact," he said.
Shortly before scheduled voting ended, Supreme Court Judge Christiano had ordered polling stations to remain open for longer after problems with public transport were reported to be affecting voters.
The decision followed a request from Lula's campaign.
Bolsonaro's campaign had also called for an extension of voting hours but only in some conservative-leaning southern states hit by heavy rainfall, flooding and power outages that were said to be disrupting voting.
Skip next section Flavio Bolsonaro rejects defeat, seeks annulment of Brazil electionOctober 26, 2026
Flavio Bolsonaro rejects defeat, seeks annulment of Brazil electionFlavio Bolsonaro is refusing to concede, echoing his father Jair during the last election in 2022, with the elder Bolsonaro also refusing to give in to his loss to LulaImage: Agustin Marcarian/REUTERSRight-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has rejected his defeat to incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil’s presidential run-off, calling for the election to be annulled over a two-hour extension of voting hours.
Speaking to reporters after the electoral court declared Lula the winner, Bolsonaro said he could not accept the result. He criticized a decision by Supreme Court judge Cristiano Zanin to extend voting hours nationwide, arguing that it had changed the rules of the election.
"What happened today was not normal. It was unacceptable," Bolsonaro said, arguing that the nationwide extension had undermined equal treatment between states. He said he would take legal action against the result.
Lula’s campaign had requested the extension, citing difficulties transporting voters to polling stations in several states. Bolsonaro’s campaign had also sought extra voting time, but only in municipalities across five states, citing heavy rain, flooding and power outages.
Skip next section Lula says Brazilians voted to defend democracy, vows to resist US influenceOctober 26, 2026
Lula says Brazilians voted to defend democracy, vows to resist US influenceLula gave a victory speech to his supporters in Sao Paulo after the resultImage: Brian Snyder/REUTERSBrazilians voted to "guarantee democracy," President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Sunday after beating Flavio Bolsonaro to win an unprecedented fourth term.
In a post on X, Lula thanked Brazilians, particularly young people who took to the streets in defense of democracy, saying: "This victory belongs to a people who believe, who fight, and who never give up on building a more just, sovereign, and democratic Brazil."
In his victory speech, Lula reiterated that Brazil would "not accept being anyone’s backyard," a recurring campaign message defending the country’s sovereignty against US influence. The stance may have helped him win votes, with some voters viewing Washington’s actions as interference.
Relations between the two countries deteriorated in 2025, when the US imposed tariffs on Brazil in retaliation for legal proceedings against former president Jair Bolsonaro, who was later convicted of coup-plotting.
Speaking in a hoarse voice, Lula thanked his campaign team and Brazilians, particularly young people who took to the streets to defend democracy. He described the result as a "loss for negativity, lies."
The re-elected president also promised better regulation of big tech platforms, after Meta was the subject of legal complaints over alleged "interference" throughout the polarizing campaign.
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