Iliana Yotova Leads Preliminary Count in Bulgaria’s Historic Presidential Runoff

Bulgaria’s acting president, Iliana Yotova, received 57.6% of the votes counted in the second round of the presidential election held on November 1, according to preliminary figures released after 99.68% of ballots were tallied. Her main opponent, former interim prime minister Andrey Gyurov, obtained 39.3% of the vote.

Yotova, who previously served twice as vice president under President Rumen Radev, assumed the presidency on an interim basis after Radev resigned in January 2026 to contest parliamentary elections. If the final count confirms the preliminary results, she will become the first woman elected to the Bulgarian presidency.

The first round of voting, held earlier in November, did not produce a decisive winner, with Yotova earning 34.76% and Gyurov 31.94% of the vote. Voter participation was notably low, recorded at 23% in the first round and rising only to 27% in the runoff.

Yotova’s candidacy was endorsed by Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria party, which secured an absolute majority in the April 2026 parliamentary elections. Analysts note that her victory would allow the ruling party to retain influence over both the executive and legislative branches.

Both Yotova and Radev have expressed support for diplomatic negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, oppose the provision of military aid to Kyiv, and favor the lifting of sanctions on Russia. Despite these positions, they affirm Bulgaria’s continued membership in the European Union and NATO, indicating an intention to maintain the country’s pro‑European orientation.