Brazil’s President Lula announces he will seek a fourth term in 2026

The left-wing leader made the announcement on a trip through Asia, brushing aside concerns about his advanced age.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has announced he will run for re-election next year, seeking a fourth nonconsecutive term.

Speaking during a state visit to Indonesia on Thursday, President Lula said he remains energised despite his age.

“I’m turning 80, but you can be sure I have the same energy I had when I was 30. And I’m going to run for a fourth term in Brazil,” Lula told reporters in a joint news conference with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

He then turned to Subianto to deliver a quip: “I’m telling you this because we’re still going to see each other many times.”

Brazil’s constitution allows presidents to serve only two consecutive terms. Lula, who served two terms in 2003-2010, returned to office in 2023 after 13 years out of power and thus remains eligible to run again.

The Brazilian leader is currently on a diplomatic trip across Asia. After his visit to Indonesia, Lula will head to Malaysia to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

While in Malaysia, Lula is expected to meet on Sunday with United States President Donald Trump, their first in-person encounter following a conciliatory phone call earlier this month, Brazilian media has reported.

The two leaders have clashed over the prosecution of former far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro — an ally of Trump — and international trade.

Trump and Lula are expected to discuss the 50-percent trade tariff that Trump imposed on Brazil in August, in protest against the Bolsonaro prosecution.

Lula had previously said his 2022 presidential bid would be his final campaign, both because of his age and because he believed the country needed political renewal. That election saw him narrowly defeat Bolsonaro in a run-off.

But early in his current term — his third — Lula began hinting that he might run again.

In February 2023, the president said he could seek re-election in 2026, adding that his decision would depend on the country’s political context and his health.

A dominant figure on Brazil’s left, Lula is the country’s longest-serving president since its return to democracy 40 years ago.

Some Brazilian politicians have expressed concern about Lula’s age and recent health issues. He underwent emergency surgery to treat a brain bleed late last year after a fall in the bathroom. Still, Lula frequently insists he remains healthy and energetic, often sharing workout videos on social media.

Lula currently leads all polls for the 2026 election, though roughly half of voters say they disapprove of him. Trump’s tariffs reenergised the Brazilian leader and pushed his popularity up.

His main political rival, Bolsonaro, has been barred from running for office and was sentenced in September to 27 years in prison for attempting a coup.

While no strong opposition candidate has yet emerged, analysts say a viable contender is likely to depend on Bolsonaro’s backing as he serves his sentence under house arrest.