Brazil’s Northeast delivered 24.45 million votes for President Lula in the second round, compared with 10.8 million for Flávio Bolsonaro. After a closer first round, Lula increased his advantage over Bolsonaro in 1,771 of the region’s 1,794 municipalities, underscoring the left’s continued electoral strength there.
Three prominent figures from the region—Piauí Governor Rafael Fonteles and former Ceará and Bahia governors Camilo Santana and Rui Costa—helped reinforce Lula’s campaign in the runoff. They are now seeking greater national influence as the new government takes shape and political leaders begin looking beyond Lula’s final presidential term. Rio Grande do Norte Governor Fátima Bezerra also emerged strengthened and is being considered for a ministerial role.
The regional result, however, sits alongside a more fragmented political picture. Left-wing parties will not hold a majority of the Northeast’s governorships for the first time since 2006. The PT won in Bahia, Ceará, Piauí and Rio Grande do Norte, while the PSB, which had elected two governors four years ago, won none. The PSD prevailed in Pernambuco, Maranhão and Sergipe, the PSDB in Alagoas and the PP in Paraíba.
Several governors-elect took a neutral stance in the presidential contest, including Raquel Lyra in Pernambuco, Eduardo Braide in Maranhão and JHC in Alagoas. Meanwhile, right-wing candidates won Senate seats in Maranhão and Alagoas, and the region’s right-leaning congressional delegation shifted toward more ideologically outspoken lawmakers.
Voters’ priorities also reflect tensions between support for Lula and concerns such as public safety, inflation and food prices. The article describes Jairo dos Santos, a truck driver from Rio Grande do Norte who had voted for Jair Bolsonaro in 2018 and 2022 over security concerns, but said before the election that he would not support Flávio Bolsonaro and expected to vote for Lula. Edielza Santos, a shopkeeper in rural Pernambuco who recognized the importance of past social programs and public works, said economic concerns had changed how she viewed politics and that Lula was no longer the same leader as before.
Flávio Bolsonaro finished the first round two percentage points ahead of Lula in the Northeast and reduced Lula’s advantage, compared with Jair Bolsonaro’s 2022 performance, in 98% of the region’s municipalities. Lula’s stronger second-round result followed renewed mobilization, giving him roughly three million more votes in the region than in the first round.
The next challenge for the region’s political leaders is to turn that electoral strength into national influence while maintaining voter support and renewing their ranks. Camilo Santana could gain an early advantage if confirmed for the Lula government’s chief of staff role. Fonteles is being considered for the Finance Ministry, a move that would require him to resign as governor. Rui Costa is expected to remain in the Senate, where Lula will need experienced allies against a right-wing majority.
Sources: Folha Poder.