Pro-Russian negotiations candidate leads in Bulgarian elections
Incumbent President Iliana Iotova, who favors negotiations with Russia, is leading in the second round of the Bulgarian presidential election. Exit polls and parallel counts showed her lead, while her pro-European rival Andrey Gyurov admitted defeat.
Candidate supporting negotiations with Russia leads in Bulgarian election
According to Bulgarian National Radio, based on a parallel vote count conducted by the Myara agency following the November 1 vote, the pairing of Yotova and vice-presidential candidate Kiril Vilchev secured 58.2 percent of the vote.
Meanwhile, the pairing of former Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov and Georgi Kandev was supported by 38.6 percent of voters.
Yotova is also ahead in the parallel count by the Alpha Research agency — her result stands at 57.4 percent, while Gyurov's is 39.6 percent. These figures are not the official final results.
Conceding defeat at a briefing, Andrey Gyurov stated that although the results were unexpected for him, he accepts them. In his view, "difficult times" await Bulgaria, but the country must seek ways to unite to solve common tasks.
"Nothing was in vain; the best is yet to come. We have created a good foundation for development," Gyurov said.
If official results also confirm Yotova's victory, she will become the first woman to win a presidential election in Bulgaria. Yotova stepped up to the presidency from the post of vice president after Rumen Radev's early resignation in January 2026.
According to the Myara agency, 27.2 percent of voters took part in the second round. This is slightly higher than the 23 percent turnout recorded in the first round.
In the first round held on October 25, none of the 27 candidates competing for the presidency managed to secure the majority of votes necessary to win. Yotova received 34.76 percent of the vote, while Gyurov got 31.95 percent. Meanwhile, Kostadin Kostadinov, representing the nationalist Revival party, was supported by 12.54 percent of voters.
DW notes that this election is significant in terms of Bulgaria's foreign policy, including its stance on Russia's war against Ukraine and its relations with Moscow.
Yotova, a former journalist and member of the European Parliament, holds a warmer stance toward Russia compared to her political opponents, much like her predecessor Rumen Radev. Gyurov, on the other hand, promoted pro-European views and relied on the support of the liberal-conservative opposition.
The President of Bulgaria is elected for a five-year term. To win in the first round, a candidate must receive more than half of the votes, provided that at least half of the registered voters participate. Otherwise, the two candidates who received the most votes continue the contest in a second round.