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'Lula accustomed to negotiating tough bargains': Campaign promises collide with right-wing Congress

Erin Ogunkeye is pleased to welcome Christopher Sabatini, Director of Chatham House's Latin America Programme. Sabatini examines how Lula's campaign reinvention, youth mobilisation, and the changing dynamics of Bolsonarismo are reshaping Brazil's political landscape. By embracing social media, mobilising younger voters, and shifting attention from his historical achievements to the economic anxieties of ordinary Brazilians, Lula managed to transform the electoral contest. As Sabatini explains, voters were no longer satisfied with hearing about the past. They wanted an answer to a more immediate question: "What are you going to do for us now?

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US Midterms 2026: A history of gerrymandering

What does a salamander have to do with US elections? Dating back centuries, gerrymandering continues to play a role in American elections today. Used more often by Republicans in the modern era of voting, Democrats have also resorted to the tactic in the past decade. But what is gerrymandering, and why is it called that? FRANCE 24's Tanishk Saha explains.

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US midterms: Obama blasts Trump's 'chaos and cruelty' while campaigning for Democrats

Ten days out from the elections that will determine control of the closely divided Congress, Barack Obama took to the campaign trail to accuse the Republican president of corruption, deride his strategy for Iran and skewer the gilded aesthetic he has applied ‌to White House renovations. FRANCE 24's Fraser Jackson tells us more.

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Bolsonaro's refusal to concede underscores ‘serious’ challenges to Brazil's democratic institutions

Annette Young is pleased to welcome Dr Pedro Perfeito da Silva, Latin American specialist at the University of Exeter. For Dr Perfeito da Silva, Lula's stunning success reflects the convergence of digital organizing, grassroots mobilization, targeted socioeconomic appeals and an effective effort to mobilise opposition to the Bolsonaro political project. As he explains, Lula assembled a coalition that "not only energized his supporters but also attracted voters from groups that had been somewhat skeptical of the government in the first round."

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Lula beats Bolsonaro in Brazil runoff: What does it mean for Donald Trump?

Lula defeated on Sunday (October 25) Flavio Bolsonaro in Brazil’s presidential election. But rather than conceding, Bolsonaro called for the result to be annulled. As the US midterms approach, the result raises questions about Trump’s influence and how his political allies respond when voters reject them. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor, Douglas Herbert, gives us his analysis.

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Brazil's Lula wins historic fourth term

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, nearly 81 years old, clinched a fourth term in a tight runoff against Flavio Bolsonaro on Sunday (October 26). The leftist leader won 51.7% of the vote, compared to 48.2% for the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, official results showed. Bolsonaro has refused to accept the loss and said he would seek to annul the vote.

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Brazil's Lula seals re-election in surprise win

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won an unprecedented fourth term in a tight runoff against Flavio Bolsonaro on Sunday (October 25). The far-right candidate and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro has refused to accept the results and said he would seek to annul the vote.

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Lula's 'extraordinary victory' faces growing middle class, deeply-entrenched bolsonarismo & Big Tech

Oliver Farry is pleased to welcome Dr Felipe Krause, Political Scientist, former Diplomat and Departmental Lecturer in Latin American Studies at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies.  Beneath Lula's electoral triumph lies a more complex political reality: the Brazilian hard right has consolidated its influence across state governments and legislative institutions, raising fundamental questions about the balance of power and the future of progressive governance. Lula will be focusing more on "working to keep things from eroding" rather than advancing his progressive agenda, explains Dr. Krause. 'There is more need for economic measures that support the growing middle class."

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Presidential runoff under way in Brazil

Brazil is also heading to the polls today for a run-off vote that will decide who leads the country. The race is on a knife edge between incumbent left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. The son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, Flávio scored a major upset in the first round earlier this month, taking the lead in the vote. The campaign has been dominated by corruption scandals, economic difficulties and allegations of US interference, which Washington has denied. France 24 correspondent Jan Onoszko reports the latest from Rio de Janeiro.

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Polls open in Brazil presidential runoff

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and sight-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro faced off Friday in their second and final debate ahead of Sunday's presidential runoff election. The two candidates repeated their campaign proposals, focusing on the cost of living and security, while exchanging ⁠allegations of corruption. France 24 Jan Onoszko telles us the latest from Rio de Janeiro.

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Obama hits campaign trail for democrats

With less than two weeks to go before the US midterm elections, former President Barack Obama has hit the campaign trail, rallying support for Democratic candidates in the key states of Michigan and Ohio. He criticised the Trump administration, blaming the White House for rising living costs, a major concern for voters. Democrats are hoping to regain control of Congress, with polls showing several closely contested races. Ophelie Jacobson has more.

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US seeks to topple Cuba's government

And now, in a rather surprising development, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is directly urging Cubans to cooperate with the CIA. Havana has responded by mocking what it calls the Trump administration’s “desperation”.

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Donald Trump challenges Alaska Senate trace

With the US midterm elections less than two weeks away, concerns are growing over whether President Donald Trump would accept a major Republican defeat. Trump has called for legal action to block the certification of Alaska’s Senate race if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses to his Democratic challenger, Mary Peltola, arguing that another candidate with the same name on the ballot could confuse voters. Our Washington correspondent Fraser Jackson has more.

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