Brazil gets first female president

Electoral officials in Brazil have confirmed 62-year-old Dilma Rousseff as the country’s first female president.



She succeeds Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.



Rousseff has promised to honour the trust Brazilians put in her and work to eliminate poverty.



She reportedly enjoys the full support of President Lula, who is leaving after two terms with record popularity.



Thousands of supporters of the governing Workers Party have taken to the streets across Brazil to celebrate her victory.



The Superior Electoral Court says that with 99 per cent of the votes counted, Rousseff had won 56 per cent against 44 per cent for her rival, Jose Serra, of the Social Democratic Party.



This second round of voting was forced after Rousseff fell short of the 50 per cent needed in the October 3, 2010 first round.



At that time, she had won just 47 per cent, to Serra's 33 per cent.