Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, widely known as Lula, is a Brazilian politician, trade unionist and former metalworker. Born on 27 October 1945 in Pernambuco, he has served as president of Brazil since 2023 and previously served from 2003 to 2011. He is a member of the Workers’ Party.

Lula became active in the trade union movement while working as a metalworker and led major workers’ strikes in Brazil’s ABC industrial region between 1978 and 1980. In 1980, he helped establish the Workers’ Party during Brazil’s transition back to democracy. He later participated in the Diretas Já movement for direct presidential elections and was elected a federal deputy for São Paulo in 1986.

After unsuccessful presidential campaigns in 1989, 1994 and 1998, Lula won the presidency in 2002 and was reelected in 2006. He returned to office on 1 January 2023, becoming the first Brazilian president to serve two non-consecutive periods in office through democratic elections.