Lula takes office for a fourth time as Flávio Bolsonaro sues to cancel the vote
The former president defeated his son in a decisive election, but the runner-up has filed a legal challenge based on a change to voting hours.
By Harper Collins ·
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term as president of Brazil. He defeated his far-right opponent, Flávio Bolsonaro, in a decisive election that marked a major political comeback for the former labor leader.
Bolsonaro has refused to acknowledge the result. He has asked for the election to be annulled, citing a specific change in the rules for voting hours.
The dispute centers on a decision by a supreme court justice to extend the time that polling stations remained open. Bolsonaro argues this alteration compromised the fairness of the vote. This is the second time in four years that a Bolsonaro family member has rejected an electoral defeat in Brazil.
Jair Bolsonaro, the current president's father, also refused to accept his loss to Lula in the previous cycle. He later attempted a coup and has been convicted for his role in that effort. Flávio Bolsonaro is now following a similar path to challenge the outcome.
Tom Phillips, a correspondent in São Paulo, assessed the political situation overnight. He said the response from the Bolsonaro camp was expected. "The Bolsonaro response is exactly as I feared, but I don’t think it will mean very much," Phillips stated. He noted that world leaders are already recognizing Lula’s victory. Phillips added that he does not think Bolsonaro has a strong chance of overturning the result.
Phillips described the win as the peak of Lula's long political history. He called it the crescendo of a 50-year career. Lula was the first elected working-class leader in Brazilian history. Phillips noted that Lula has helped millions of people escape poverty during his previous terms.
The legal battle will now move through Brazil's courts. The outcome of the suit will determine whether the annulment request has any practical effect on the transfer of power. Until a court rules, Lula remains the elected president.
The election result stands as a clear mandate for Lula's platform. The challenge from Bolsonaro introduces a procedural delay but does not change the current tally of votes. The next step is the formal certification of the results by the electoral authority.
Source: The Guardian
