Thousands gathered in Prague to protest government proposals affecting public television and radio funding. The planned changes would replace licence fees with state budget allocations, raising concerns about media independence. Critics argue that these measures may expose broadcasters to political pressure and reduce their financial stability. Public media employees announced plans for a strike on November 3, with a larger rally scheduled for November 15.

Bolsonaro refused to concede defeat, calling the move to extend voting hours unprecedented — though both he and Lula made the request — and asked for the election results to be annulled, saying they were impossible to accept.

With 100 per cent of the vote counted, Brazil’s electoral court announced that the soon to be 81-year-old Lula held an unassailable lead of nearly 4.4 million votes over opponent Flávio Bolsonaro.

“It’s quite a pity, it’s like I failed. But I gave it my best shot,” said the hawker, who opened Kokoyo to honour his Peranakan grandmother’s recipes.

Elected as the Brazil president for the record fourth time, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has cemented his place as one of the world’s longest-serving democratically elected leaders.

Brazil's left-wing President has been elected for a fourth term after narrowly beating right-wing Flávio Bolsonaro in a knife-edge vote.

Mounting debt and entrenched structural problems could complicate leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s fourth ​term, which begins in January.

After an evening of chaos at polling booths across Brazil and a last-minute decision to extend voting by two hours, the veteran politician has beaten his Trump-backed challenger.