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Lula defeats Bolsonaro to become Brazil’s president again

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for “peace and unity” after narrowly winning a divisive runoff election.

Brazil election
Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva and his wife Rosangela Lula da Silva wave to supporters gathered at an election night event in Sao Paulo, Brazil. [Amanda Perobelli/Reuters]
Published On 31 Oct 2022

Brazil’s electoral authority says Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva has defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro to become the country’s next president.

The news on Sunday marked a stunning return to power for the 77-year-old, of the leftist Workers’ Party, who had led Brazil from 2003 to 2010.

His 2018 imprisonment over a corruption scandal sidelined him from that year’s election, paving the way for then-candidate Bolsonaro’s win and four years of far-right politics.

The result marked the first time since Brazil’s 1985 return to democracy that the sitting president has failed to win re-election.

Brazil election
Lula supporters packed Paulista Avenue in Sao Paulo. [Matias Delacroix/AP Photo]
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Brazil election
With more than 99 percent of the votes tallied in Sunday's runoff vote, Lula had 50.9 percent of the vote and Bolsonaro 49.1 percent. [Fernando Bizerra/EPA]
Brazil election
Lula presided over an economic boon during his previous tenure and is credited with building an extensive social welfare programme that helped lift tens of millions of people into the middle class. [Diego Vara/Reuters]
Brazil election
But he is also remembered for his administration’s involvement in vast corruption revealed by sprawling investigations. [Diego Vara/Reuters]
Brazil election
A supporter of Bolsonaro cries in Brasilia after the announcement of the result. [Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters]
Brazil election
Bolsonaro's supporters gather outside his home, in Rio de Janeiro. [Lucas Landau/Reuters]
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Brazil election
Many Brazilians support Bolsonaro’s defence of conservative social values, and he shored up support in an election year with vast government spending. [Lucas Landau/Reuters]
Brazil election
But Bolsonaro's administration was marked by incendiary speeches and his testing of democratic institutions. [Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo]