Brazilian President Lula won the election runoff — Fortune
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated Flávio Bolsonaro in the second round of the presidential election on October 25, 2026. Lula, who lost to his opponent in the first round on October 5, won by a margin of more than 3.5 percentage points — over 4 million votes, Fortune reports.
In the second round, Lula overcame a deficit of more than 2 million votes, increased turnout and reduced the abstention rate. The state of Minas Gerais, which has the country's second-largest electorate, shifted to his side: Lula's lead there amounted to nearly 700,000 votes.
WhatsApp campaign
After the first round, Lula's young supporters working in digital communications began distributing videos on WhatsApp and Instagram. According to the article's author, these materials targeted not only traditional left-wing voters but also centrists and part of the right-wing electorate.
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A WhatsApp channel called “Lula's Army” grew from 50,000 subscribers on October 5 to more than 10 million on election night. It was created by federal deputy André Janones from the Rede party, which is allied with Lula's Workers' Party. In Minas Gerais, the most votes among candidates for the Chamber of Deputies were received by 21-year-old digital influencer and law student Ana Elisa Santos Silva, who belongs to the Workers' Party.
Strong positions of the right in Congress
Despite Lula's presidential victory, Flávio Bolsonaro's Liberal Party will have significant representation in parliament. After the new Congress begins work on February 1, 2027, it will control 28 seats in the Senate, or 35% of the chamber's membership, and 121 seats in the lower house, or 24%. The party will also hold five governorships.
The article's author notes that, taking allies into account, the right may gain a majority in both chambers of Congress, strengthening its influence over legislation and the budget. Challenges for Lula's new administration include a high fiscal deficit, which, according to the data cited in the article, is approaching 8% of GDP.
