Lula wins historic fourth term in Brazil runoff

Lula wins a historic fourth term in Brazil's runoff with 51.79 per cent of the vote, pledging to defend democratic institutions.

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a historic fourth, non-consecutive presidential term after defeating Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a closely contested runoff vote.

Official results confirmed Lula won with 51.79 per cent of the vote, and the final tally gave him a 4.43 million-vote victory, putting late-vote disputes far short of his margin.

In his victory speech in São Paulo, Lula pledged to defend democratic institutions, while international markets monitor potential shifts in trade, environmental regulation and fiscal policy.