DOMINANT ANGLE
Bern is focused on the post-election aftermath: a historic re-election of Lula, but a Brazil divided in two, a loser who contests and a power that promises to be more difficult to exercise.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Lula wins with 51.75% against 48.25% for Flávio Bolsonaro, according to SRF, after almost all ballots have been counted.
- 02
Flávio Bolsonaro deems it impossible to recognize the result and wants the election annulled due to a two-hour extension of polling station hours.
- 03
Lula gained around 10.4 million votes between the two rounds, compared to 3.7 million for his rival (SRF).
ANALYSIS
Berne, October 26, 2026. The Swiss press is reporting on the re-election of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, focusing more on the aftermath than the election itself. According to SRF, the left-wing president won the second round on Sunday with 51.75% of the vote, compared to 48.25% for his right-wing rival Flávio Bolsonaro, after almost all ballots were counted. Le Temps notes that the incumbent, who will soon be 81 years old, has become "against all expectations" the first Brazilian to secure a fourth term, amidst celebrations in São Paulo, Rio, and Brasília.
SRF links this result to the country's direction: Lula's victory has put an end to the Bolsonaro camp's attempt to bring Brazil, the most populous and economically powerful country in Latin America, closer to the government of Donald Trump, with a promise of closer cooperation with Washington during the campaign. The media lists a favorable record: historic low unemployment, poverty reduction, increase in the minimum wage, gradual introduction of the five-day week, and reduction of deforestation in the Amazon. It also recalls the discontent with the cost of living, high public debt, spendthrift policy, and a presumed fraud scandal in retirement insurance.
A second SRF article focuses on the controversy. Flávio Bolsonaro says he cannot recognize the result and wants the election to be annulled due to the two-hour extension of polling station hours. His campaign director warns of a possible "judicial coup". He targets Judge Zanin, who had ordered the extension due to public transportation problems, a decision that came too late to be applied everywhere. The Lula camp, on the other hand, criticizes the president of the electoral court, Kassio Nunes Marques, for remaining inactive for too long while a request for an extension had been received as early as noon. The Bolsonaro team had also requested an extension in certain regions due to bad weather.
SRF notes that Lula gained around 10.4 million votes between the two rounds, compared to 3.7 million for his opponent, helped by a digital campaign: the WhatsApp group "Lula's Army" has exceeded ten million subscribers. However, governing is expected to be more difficult: Bolsonaro obtained almost half of the votes, and his party PL has gained influence in Parliament. In the defeated camp, the question of leadership may arise; Flávio's senate term expires in January, and he is the target of investigations for alleged money laundering.
