Lula launches campaign for fourth term as Brazil election contest takes shape

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva launched his campaign for a fourth term on Sunday, August 16, opening an election contest expected to pit him against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula began the campaign in São Bernardo do Campo, the industrial city where he rose to national prominence as a union leader. He told supporters that another term would focus on education, healthcare, public security and development of Brazil’s rare-earth resources.

Flávio Bolsonaro launched his own campaign on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach the same day. He presented himself as an opponent of Brazil’s political establishment and praised closer cooperation with the United States against organised crime.

Brazil’s first-round presidential vote is scheduled for October 4, 2026. A runoff will follow on October 25 if no candidate wins more than half of valid votes. Polling cited by The Guardian put Lula narrowly ahead in a potential runoff, but the margin indicated a competitive race.

Lula previously served two terms from 2003 to 2010 and returned to office in 2023 after narrowly defeating Jair Bolsonaro. The former president was jailed in 2025 over the failed attempt to overturn the 2022 election result. The coming campaign is likely to centre on public services, security, the economy and Brazil’s relations with the United States.