Bulgaria votes in presidential runoff after tight first round
The vote follows record-low turnout and a first round that left the two frontrunners separated by fewer than 43,000 votes, officials said.
- On Sunday, acting President Iliana Iotova defeated challenger Andrey Gyurov in Bulgaria's presidential runoff, according to exit polls. If confirmed, Iotova will become the country's first directly elected female head of state.
- The runoff followed the October 25, 2026, first round, which failed to produce a winner amid record-low turnout of 23%. Neither Iotova nor Gyurov secured the majority required to win outright.
- Iotova advocates for dialogue with Moscow and opposes military aid to Ukraine, while Gyurov demands Russia cease its aggression. The candidates' contrasting geopolitical stances highlighted deep divisions over Bulgaria's alignment amid Black Sea security concerns.
- Gyurov conceded defeat on Sunday, stating "this is how the Bulgarian citizens have voted." Analysts noted that voter participation, despite rising slightly to around 29%, raises questions about the political weight of Iotova's mandate.
- While Bulgaria's presidency is largely ceremonial, the office holds significant power to appoint interim governments during political crises and lead the armed forces. Iotova will navigate these responsibilities amid ongoing regional security challenges.
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Reformatorisch Dagblad
Bulgarian interim president Iliana Jotova has won the second and decisive round of the presidential election, according to three exit polls. She can count on 50.7 to 52.5 percent of the vote. Jotova’s opponent Andrey Gyurov, a banker and former interim prime minister, is projected to receive 43.4 to 44 percent of the vote.
Yotova wins runoff to become Bulgaria’s first elected female president, unofficial count shows
Acting President Iliana Yotova is winner in the country’s presidential runoff, early returns show, and her opponent has conceded. She will become the first elected female president in the nation's history.
The urn-foot surveys give him between 50.7% and 52.5% of the votes against pro-Western Andrei Gyurov, in a vote marked by security tensions in the Black Sea
Bulgaria will have an elected female president for the first time. According to exit polls, pro-Russian Iliana Jotova has secured 56 to 58 percent of the vote. Her opponent, pro-European Andrey Gyurov, who received 38 to 40 percent, has congratulated her on the victory. The official results are expected tomorrow, once all votes have been counted. Jotova (62) is currently interim president. She was vice president from 2017 until early this year,…
The Daily Item
Western InvestorInitial results suggest Yotova wins runoff to become Bulgaria’s first elected female president
Acting President Iliana Yotova is the apparent winner of Bulgaria’s presidential runoff. That's according to initial results on Sunday. Former interim Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov conceded defeat. Yotova received 58% of the vote, and if confirmed, she would become Bulgaria’s…
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