The outcome could have gone either way, but in the end, Lula gathered 50.9% of votes against Bolsonaro’s 49.1%, marking Lula’s comeback to the top of Brazil’s government.

Lula had already led the country from 2003 to 2010. Though he had left office with an all-time high popularity, his Workers Party later had to deal with a deep recession and a corruption scandal, for which Lula ended up doing 19 months of prison. The bribery convictions against Lula were later overturned by the Supreme Court. 

Head of the right-wing government, Bolsonaro after 4 years in office leaves the position. The head of state had been heavily criticised for the high death toll his management of the covid-19 crisis led to. 

Lula, a left-wing former trade union leader, has vowed to ‘eradicate hunger’ and fight the damages done to the Amazonian rainforest, among other aims.