Brussels Celebrates in the Dark

When procedural irregularities and pending legal challenges loom over a crucial election, diplomatic convention typically suggests a brief pause. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, however, saw no need for caution. On Monday morning, Brussels rushed to celebrate the electoral victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, hailing his win as a triumph for global democracy long before the legal dust had settled in Brasília.

The circumstances surrounding the socialist leader's comeback are contentious. After lagging in polls and in the initial voting round, Lula secured victory under conditions that raised immediate eyebrows among legal observers. Following severe weather on election day, both campaigns requested an extension of voting hours, with Flávio Bolsonaro specifying that extra time should only apply to storm-affected districts. Instead, Constitutional Court judge Cristiano Zanin—a personal friend of Lula—decided shortly after polls closed to extend voting across the entire country. Members of the electoral commission and legal specialists cited by the New York Times have questioned the legitimacy of the process, suggesting an annulment remains possible as Bolsonaro prepares a formal court challenge.

None of these procedural questions deterred the European Commission's chief, who promptly declared on social media that democracy and multilateralism have won in Brazil. Von der Leyen went on to assure her friend Lula that Europe would remain by his side to promote open trade, climate action, and a rules-based global order.

It is a remarkable piece of institutional rhetoric, given Lula's established foreign policy. The Brazilian president has consistently pursued an anti-Western trajectory, cultivating close ties with Moscow and working hand in hand with Beijing to expand the BRICS alliance. Expecting Brazil under Lula to act as a steadfast pillar of a Western-led global order requires a level of diplomatic detachment that seems unique to Brussels.

Interestingly, von der Leyen was not alone in acknowledging the result, though others displayed a different political calculus. Conservative leaders in the region, including Chilean President José Antonio Kast and Peru's Keiko Fujimori, extended their congratulations online. Meanwhile, notable silence reigned in Washington, Buenos Aires, and Berlin, where Donald Trump, Javier Milei, and Friedrich Merz refrained from offering immediate praise.

For Brussels, the impulse to project stability and shared values routinely eclipses messy electoral realities. Whether Brazilian courts agree with von der Leyen's assessment of the election outcome remains secondary to the Commission's desire for a convenient narrative.

Written by Andreas Hofer andreas.hofer@alpineweekly.com