(Adds detail from Rousseff's speech)
By Brian Winter and Anthony Boadle
SAO PAULO/BRASILIA Oct 26 (Reuters) - Brazil's leftistPresident Dilma Rousseff narrowly won re-election on Sundayafter convincing voters that her party's strong record ofreducing poverty over the last 12 years was more important thanan ongoing economic slump.
After the closest, most divisive campaign since Brazilreturned to democracy three decades ago, Rousseff won 51.6percent of votes in a runoff against centrist opposition leaderAecio Neves, who won 48.4 percent support.
The vote split Latin America's biggest country almost evenlyin two along lines of both social class and geography. Nevesprevailed in Brazil's richer south, southeast and center-west,while Rousseff took the Amazon north and impoverished northeast.
Voting was peaceful and Brazil's robust democracy is free ofthe political violence that mars some other countries in theregion. Yet, mindful of the deep economic challenges facing thecountry, both Neves and Rousseff sounded a cautious,conciliatory tone in speeches on Sunday night.
"I call on all Brazilians, without exceptions, to unite infavor of Brazil's future," Rousseff, her voice hoarse afterweeks of campaigning, told a raucous crowd of party supportersgathered at a hotel in Brasilia. "I want to be a much betterpresident than I have been until now."
However, she gave no clear indication of any impendingchanges to the heavy-handed economic policies that havealienated many investors since she took office in 2011, limitingherself to a pledge to seek to restore growth.
The result means another four years in power for theWorkers' Party, which since 2003 has virtually transformedBrazil - lifting 40 million from poverty, reducing unemploymentto record lows and making big inroads against hunger in whatremains one of the world's most unequal countries.
The party's star has faded recently. The economy hasaveraged less than 2 percent annual growth under Rousseff'soften unpredictable policies, making Brazil's glory days ofrobust growth last decade an ever-more distant memory.
Numerous corruption scandals, high inflation and frustrationover poor public services like health care tempted many toconsider a switch to Neves' more pro-business agenda.
Yet Rousseff and her supporters spent the campaign warningvoters, especially the poor, that a vote for the PSDB would meana return to the less compassionate, more unequal Brazil of the1990s - an argument that Neves rigorously denied, but ultimatelyprevailed anyway.
"We need Dilma to continue the programs that improve thelives of those in need," said Livia Roma, 19, a universitystudent in Sao Paulo, as she voted on Sunday. "I didn't vote formyself, but for the minorities and less fortunate classes."
Brazil's financial markets plummeted last week when pollsshowed Rousseff was likely to win a second term. They could seeanother selloff on Monday.
SHORT HONEYMOON
With 200 million people and a gross domestic product of some$2 trillion, Brazil is Latin America's largest economy and itsmost populous country.
By re-electing Rousseff, Brazil will remain on a middleground between more socialist governments in Venezuela andArgentina, and the freer-trading, faster-growing countries onthe Pacific coast that include Colombia and Chile.
Rousseff owed her victory to overwhelming support from theroughly 40 percent of Brazilians who live in households earningless than $700 a month.
They have benefited from the Workers' Party's rollout of aprogram that pays a small monthly stipend to one in fourBrazilian families, as well as federal housing programs,government-sponsored vocational schools and an expansion ofcredit to the working class.
Rousseff, 66, is unlikely to enjoy much, if any, of ahoneymoon when her second term starts on New Year's Day.
Recent allegations of systemic corruption at state-run oilgiant Petrobras roiled the final days of the campaignand are likely to be a major political headache in coming monthsand years as prosecutors pursue those responsible.
The economy slipped into a recession earlier this year, andratings agencies have warned that a credit downgrade is possibleunless Rousseff makes hefty spending cuts to correct deficitsthat have mushroomed in recent months.
Her aides have said she will try to win back the confidenceof financial markets by announcing a more pragmatic financeminister for her second term, although many investors worry thatRousseff will continue to call most of the shots herself.
Marco Aurelio Garcia, a top Rousseff adviser on foreignaffairs, sounded a defiant note shortly after the results werepublished. Asked what the government's message to financialmarkets was, he replied: "Take tranquilizers."
The campaign was one of the most dramatic in Brazil sincedirect elections were restored in 1989. One candidate was killedin a plane crash in August, and his replacement then soared intothe lead in opinion polls, only to fade in the final days beforethe first round of voting Oct. 5.
During the runoff, senior leaders from both parties comparedtheir rivals to Nazis - a break from the relatively genteel tonethat has prevailed in Brazilian politics in recent years, andone that analysts say heralds a more divisive era ahead.
That, in turn, may make consensus on a much-needed overhaulof the tax code and other economic reforms more difficult forRousseff to push through.
FROM TECHNOCRAT TO PRESIDENT
Rousseff, who was jailed and tortured in the early 1970s foropposing that era's military dictatorship, is the country'sfirst woman president. The daughter of a Bulgarian aristocratwho emigrated to Brazil during World War Two, she was arelatively obscure government technocrat until her predecessorLuiz Inacio Lula da Silva hand-picked her as his successor.
Many in the Workers' Party are already thinking ahead to thenext election in 2018, when Lula, who governed from 2003 to2010, has said he may run again. Brazil's constitution doesn'tallow presidents to seek a third consecutive term.
Rousseff repeatedly thanked Lula for his support on Sundaynight, and gave him a big hug onstage.
Neves' PSDB, meanwhile, faces an uncertain future afterfalling short in three straight presidential contests due inpart to its image as the party of Brazil's wealthy minority.
The PSDB is under added pressure because of a long droughtin Sao Paulo state, which it governs, that has raised theprospect of severe water rationing in coming months.
"Our biggest priority should be to unite Brazil," Neves saidin his concession speech, noting that he had called Rousseff andwished her success. (Additional reporting by Alonso Soto; Editing by Todd Bensonand Kieran Murray)
By Brian Winter and Anthony Boadle
SAO PAULO/BRASILIA Oct 26 (Reuters) - Brazil's leftistPresident Dilma Rousseff narrowly won re-election on Sundayafter convincing voters that her party's strong record ofreducing poverty over the last 12 years was more important thanan ongoing economic slump.
After the closest, most divisive campaign since Brazilreturned to democracy three decades ago, Rousseff won 51.6percent of votes in a runoff against centrist opposition leaderAecio Neves, who won 48.4 percent support.
The vote split Latin America's biggest country almost evenlyin two along lines of both social class and geography. Nevesprevailed in Brazil's richer south, southeast and center-west,while Rousseff took the Amazon north and impoverished northeast.
Voting was peaceful and Brazil's robust democracy is free ofthe political violence that mars some other countries in theregion. Yet, mindful of the deep economic challenges facing thecountry, both Neves and Rousseff sounded a cautious,conciliatory tone in speeches on Sunday night.
"I call on all Brazilians, without exceptions, to unite infavor of Brazil's future," Rousseff, her voice hoarse afterweeks of campaigning, told a raucous crowd of party supportersgathered at a hotel in Brasilia. "I want to be a much betterpresident than I have been until now."
However, she gave no clear indication of any impendingchanges to the heavy-handed economic policies that havealienated many investors since she took office in 2011, limitingherself to a pledge to seek to restore growth.
The result means another four years in power for theWorkers' Party, which since 2003 has virtually transformedBrazil - lifting 40 million from poverty, reducing unemploymentto record lows and making big inroads against hunger in whatremains one of the world's most unequal countries.
The party's star has faded recently. The economy hasaveraged less than 2 percent annual growth under Rousseff'soften unpredictable policies, making Brazil's glory days ofrobust growth last decade an ever-more distant memory.
Numerous corruption scandals, high inflation and frustrationover poor public services like health care tempted many toconsider a switch to Neves' more pro-business agenda.
Yet Rousseff and her supporters spent the campaign warningvoters, especially the poor, that a vote for the PSDB would meana return to the less compassionate, more unequal Brazil of the1990s - an argument that Neves rigorously denied, but ultimatelyprevailed anyway.
"We need Dilma to continue the programs that improve thelives of those in need," said Livia Roma, 19, a universitystudent in Sao Paulo, as she voted on Sunday. "I didn't vote formyself, but for the minorities and less fortunate classes."
Brazil's financial markets plummeted last week when pollsshowed Rousseff was likely to win a second term. They could seeanother selloff on Monday.
SHORT HONEYMOON
With 200 million people and a gross domestic product of some$2 trillion, Brazil is Latin America's largest economy and itsmost populous country.
By re-electing Rousseff, Brazil will remain on a middleground between more socialist governments in Venezuela andArgentina, and the freer-trading, faster-growing countries onthe Pacific coast that include Colombia and Chile.
Rousseff owed her victory to overwhelming support from theroughly 40 percent of Brazilians who live in households earningless than $700 a month.
They have benefited from the Workers' Party's rollout of aprogram that pays a small monthly stipend to one in fourBrazilian families, as well as federal housing programs,government-sponsored vocational schools and an expansion ofcredit to the working class.
Rousseff, 66, is unlikely to enjoy much, if any, of ahoneymoon when her second term starts on New Year's Day.
Recent allegations of systemic corruption at state-run oilgiant Petrobras roiled the final days of the campaignand are likely to be a major political headache in coming monthsand years as prosecutors pursue those responsible.
The economy slipped into a recession earlier this year, andratings agencies have warned that a credit downgrade is possibleunless Rousseff makes hefty spending cuts to correct deficitsthat have mushroomed in recent months.
Her aides have said she will try to win back the confidenceof financial markets by announcing a more pragmatic financeminister for her second term, although many investors worry thatRousseff will continue to call most of the shots herself.
Marco Aurelio Garcia, a top Rousseff adviser on foreignaffairs, sounded a defiant note shortly after the results werepublished. Asked what the government's message to financialmarkets was, he replied: "Take tranquilizers."
The campaign was one of the most dramatic in Brazil sincedirect elections were restored in 1989. One candidate was killedin a plane crash in August, and his replacement then soared intothe lead in opinion polls, only to fade in the final days beforethe first round of voting Oct. 5.
During the runoff, senior leaders from both parties comparedtheir rivals to Nazis - a break from the relatively genteel tonethat has prevailed in Brazilian politics in recent years, andone that analysts say heralds a more divisive era ahead.
That, in turn, may make consensus on a much-needed overhaulof the tax code and other economic reforms more difficult forRousseff to push through.
FROM TECHNOCRAT TO PRESIDENT
Rousseff, who was jailed and tortured in the early 1970s foropposing that era's military dictatorship, is the country'sfirst woman president. The daughter of a Bulgarian aristocratwho emigrated to Brazil during World War Two, she was arelatively obscure government technocrat until her predecessorLuiz Inacio Lula da Silva hand-picked her as his successor.
Many in the Workers' Party are already thinking ahead to thenext election in 2018, when Lula, who governed from 2003 to2010, has said he may run again. Brazil's constitution doesn'tallow presidents to seek a third consecutive term.
Rousseff repeatedly thanked Lula for his support on Sundaynight, and gave him a big hug onstage.
Neves' PSDB, meanwhile, faces an uncertain future afterfalling short in three straight presidential contests due inpart to its image as the party of Brazil's wealthy minority.
The PSDB is under added pressure because of a long droughtin Sao Paulo state, which it governs, that has raised theprospect of severe water rationing in coming months.
"Our biggest priority should be to unite Brazil," Neves saidin his concession speech, noting that he had called Rousseff andwished her success. (Additional reporting by Alonso Soto; Editing by Todd Bensonand Kieran Murray)
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