Iliana Iotova led Bulgaria’s presidential election runoff on Sunday, with initial results showing her at 58 percent against Andrey Gyurov’s 38 percent. The presidency is largely ceremonial, but the vote put Iotova on course to become Bulgaria’s first elected female head of state if Monday’s count holds.
Exit polls put turnout at 27 to 29 percent, slightly above the 23 percent recorded in the first-round race last week. Krassimira Kostova, a teacher in Sofia, voted anyway after saying, "I don’t like either of the two candidates."
Sofia and the runoff count
Several polling agencies’ counts pointed to Iotova’s lead as ballots were still being tallied. Andrey Gyurov said, "This is how the Bulgarian citizens have voted," and added that the result had to be accepted as it stood. Official results were expected on Monday.
Iotova took over as acting president in January and said after voting that "peace can come only through negotiations," while also saying she wanted "Bulgaria to be strong in a strong Europe" and "sovereign in its decisions."
Gyurov, Iotova and Russia
Gyurov, a banker and former caretaker prime minister, was backed by the pro-Western opposition. Iotova advocated dialogue with Russia and opposed military aid to Ukraine, a contrast that shaped the race as Bulgaria faced concern over drone attacks off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast last month, when 21 people remained missing after strikes on commercial vessels.
Gyurov said in a television debate that "Russia must stop its aggression so that the next steps can be taken." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Iotova in a post on X, saying, "From security and defence to our competitiveness and energy independence, I look forward to continuing our joint work."
Monday’s official count will settle whether the initial tallies hold and whether Iotova becomes Bulgaria’s first elected female head of state. Petar Doitchinov, a retired engineer in Sofia, was among those who voted as the runoff moved from initial projections to final tabulation.
